Eiskalte Engel

This came out at the movies when I was 14 and let me tell you, it was the hottest thing to ever be shown at the movies in our lifetime! You could either sneak in or wait for the VHS. What a time. Watching it 23 years later I feel it really holds up. The precursor to Gossip Girl and the like, this really set a tone and I'm all for it.

In this film wealthy prep school student Kathryn (Sarah Michelle Gellar) bets her stepbrother Sebastian (Ryan Phillipe) that he can't deflower the virginal Annette (Reese Witherspoon) before the school year begins. If he fails to accomplish this task, Kathryn gets his Jaguar Roadster; if he succeeds, he gets an evening of pleasure with Kathryn.

I just finished watching Cruel Intentions and what a pleasant surprise this film turned out to be. I guess the best way to describe it is as a sexy and seductive thriller. The film is very clever and bold but above all, extremely engaging and entertaining. Dealing with this kind of subject...making this kind of film...it's definitely not easy. Usually these kind of films come off somewhat "fake" and lame; corny, whatever you want to call it. Thankfully, Cruel Intentions went the other way, probably thanks to the witty and sharp dialogue and a very good direction.

Ryan Phillippe delivered a terrific performance and so did Reese Witherspoon. I was actually a bit disappointed with Sarah Michelle Gellar, her acting was not very convincing at times to say the least but honestly, the story is so engaging that I was able to overlook that flaw. Another aspect that really took me by surprise was the musical score. Cruel Intentions has one of the best soundtracks I have ever seen in films. There's some great well known songs like Skunk Anansie's "secretly" and Placebo's "every me and every you", but there's also some fast paced instrumental tracks throughout the film that really compliment the scenes. Overall, a great watch and so much more then a teen film.

7.5/10

I find it incredibly peculiar how the same novel (Choderlos de Laclos' "Les liaisons dangereuses", but that won't be on the test) can spawn two separate interpretations that are absolutely nothing alike. "Dangerous Liaisons" was a very stylish, classy, hyper-professional and (maybe as a result) also somewhat slow costume drama, while "Cruel Intentions" shamelessly takes the sleazy road and ends up being really entertaining. It's primarily aimed at teens and piles up Hollywood clichés like it's a contest or something, but despite those hurdles it manages to strike exactly the right dark tone. Sarah Michelle Gellar is really good in the Glenn Close role, technically she only gives her villain one dimension but it's a dimension you love to hate. She has acid running through her veins, in fact the whole movie seems a lot more harsh and direct than "Dangerous Liaisons" was. Do I actually prefer this high schooler remake over the original "Dangerous Liaisons"? Well, secretly yes, but to avoid being burned on a pyre I'll just say they're both excellent movies in their own right. "Cruel Intentions" is just a great watch though.

If you want to introduce classic literature to a teen audience, movies like this are a great way, a good adaptation of a classic, not up there with '10 things I hate about you' or 'Romeo + Juliet' but still good enough to elicit interest in the classics from the audience.

This film (based on the 1988 hit 'Dangerous Liasons' starring Glenn Close, Michelle Pfieffer and John Malkovich) is a great movie intended for the older teenagers, and stars fine young acting talent.

Rich kid Kathryn ('Buffy The Vampire Slayer's Sarah Michelle Gellar) bets her equally jaded step-brother Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe; 'I Know What You Did Last Summer', which co-starred Sarah) that he can't seduce good girl, and virgin, Annette (played by Ryan's real-life wife Reese Witherspoon).

Along the way, Kathryn tries to help sexually-inexperienced Cecile (Selma Blair) get some action in her life, while she starts screwing Cecile's ex-music instructor! Sound weird? It is. It's basically about 2 rich snobs who mess with the lives of those around them, just because their lives get boring.

This film also stars Joshua Jackson ('The Skulls', 'Urban Legend', TV's 'Dawson's Creek) as Sebastian's gay best friend, who also gets involved in the use or be used storyline. Fellow teen-movie star Tara Reid ('Urban Legend', 'American Pie') also has a small role, as Sebastian's psychiatrists's daughter.

This film is pretty intense and deals with sex, drugs, seduction and alienation in a brave, way that makes it appealing to all teenagers. Not for the light hearted, more daring than anything like 'She's All That' and 'Never Been Kissed', but it's still good fun!