Wild Things

Wild Things is a cult classic film of the late 1990's due to several things. First the film seems to be known for its twists and turns (most of which are unpredictable- several foreshadowing occurs with a lot attention to detail to be had), then there's its famous pool scene involving Denise Richards and Neve Campbell.

The film is relatively slow paced and not too engaging in its first half (about 50 minutes or so) then around once the first major reveal is shown, everything picks up (the pacing and plot), it become more intriguing and overall engaging. We want to see what is going to happen next.

Due to its twists and turns, those are what elevates the film from being relatively subpar. Wild Things is a serious drama dealing with a serious topic (rape case and allegations) yet the manner everything unfolds is somewhat trashy and in an MTV type style (this appears to be the appeal). The acting all around is respectable and convincing. "Not everyone is as they appear".

Overall not exactly a great film but it's unpredictability in the second half keeps you guessing and engaged.

Much has been said about the sexual content of this movie for which I can only say it was nice to get such mice views, clothed and unclothed of Denise Richards. But overall the sexuality of this film is moderate at best.

Why i really liked it is because all of the twists in the plots actually come together. At the end of the film, integrated with the end credits, are previously unseen events that kept the full tale slightly hidden from the viewer. By inserting them at the end, the full story was told without inhibiting the ride. If you missed the hints and clues along the way, u can see what you failed to figure out.

Certainly this is not a tale that fails to stretch credibility, but its is a film for amusement. But unlike so many, the mystery is solvable and does not rely on contrivances created at the end to make you feel stupid. If you miss them you are not stupid, but if foresee any of the conclusion, and the can be foreseen, hats off to you.

Yes, it's lurid. Yes, it's trashy. Yes, it doesn't stand up to close scrutiny. And yes, if you're the sort of person who specialises in spotting plot twists, then you're probably going to do well here.

But if you haven't seen this film before, and you're prepared for something a bit on the lurid and trashy side, and you can manage to steer clear of the many spoilers among the reviews here, then you just might find that Wild Things is a fun ride.

Because there are, it's true, a number of twists and turns, and not everyone sees them coming. And if you aren't a twist-spotter, but you enjoy movies with twists, then you are going to enjoy this one.

I thought it was great fun. And, let's be fair, who's watching Denise Richards' acting?

Wild Things is a fantastic example of what can be achieved by not worrying about substance and having a film play for straight entertainment value. Here we have a film that takes elements such as beautiful stars, beautiful locations and a bucket load of plot twists and blends it all into a highly enjoyable film experience. Of course, Wild Things doesn't always come across very realistically and, at times even, it's downright ridiculous; but it's done in such a way that it doesn't matter, and because of that we have a film that can do what it wants. The film is helmed by John McNaughton, who had his first success with the cult horror flick Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. It has to be said that the scene setting and way that the plot moves is somewhat ham-fisted, as sometimes it's painfully obvious that certain sections of the film exist only to give it another selling point; the argument that starts out between Denise Richards and Neve Campbell beside a swimming pool being a case in point. However, McNaughton makes good of these selling points, and for every three way sex scene and absurd plot twist, the film gains an extra point for trashy entertainment value.

It's not immediately obvious what Wild Things is going to be about, as the first twenty minutes serve only in setting the scene and from that base, the film could easily turn into any teenage school flick. However, it turns out that this time is well used; as by nulling the audience into a false sense of security, the film is able to make sure that every twist comes as a surprise. The film benefits from a great big name cast, which is anchored by Matt Dillon; who gives one of his best performances. Dillon clearly enjoys himself, and his persona is able to suit both the sleazy and upstanding nature of his character. Kevin Bacon sleepwalks and isn't really able to show his true talent, and similarly Neve Campbell looks out of place (sexy with it) in her role as a teenage junkie. However, Denise Richards rounds the piece of nicely with a charged performance and the ensemble is nicely topped off by the likes of Bill Murray, Theresa Russell and Robert Wagner. The settings that the movie takes place in look great, and ensure that there's more eye candy than just the female leads. Director McNaughton presents a fabulously mysterious atmosphere which obviously bodes well with the plot and, on the whole, if you want a couple of hours of entertainment; you can do a lot, lot worse than this twisty little flick.

Good picture and sound quality, well cast, colours are strong and clear and the outdoor scenes are bathed in sunlight, skin tones look natural and not too bright. A playfully piano score and some pop music makes up the soundtrack.

Denise Richards & Neve Cambell did a good job in their roles. Richards plays a shallow split beauty, a good character for her, she's not convicting anyone as a nuclear scientist. Bill Murray adds a touch of comic relief. The film is a bit of a deconstruction of a fictional rich shallow community in the USA. A web of greed, corruption, conspiracy and lies quickly unravels. Neve Cambell was great playing a totally different character to Scream a year before. However comparing her figure to Denise Richards, Cambell does look a bit short and squat when they're both next to each other but I suppose the cinematographer couldn't do much about that. The ending is a bit dumb too, and the overuse of twists starts to make it feel very one note.