Sensationalized yes, and also missing the point about every day monsters and so on, yes I agree with that.

Buffy thanks god got a more complex over the years but the starting premise Joss bases her own is the screaming blond female victim of horror movies. Buffy is the victim that hits back and fortuantely she grew to be more than that, but it's still this Pippy Longstocking like motive of a girl just being strong enough not to have to take all the shit.
The bluntness and the need for unrealistic powers to overcome the victim role is something I don't like about that way of depicting empowerment.