Pièges et séduction

First of all, if you're going to watch this a movie, or ANY movie of the soft-core/erotica type, make sure you get the UN-rated version. Secondly, I find it laughable when people are critical of movies like these for their "lack of plot". Who actually watches a soft-core movie like this for a good story? The purpose of this, or any other movie like this, is to arouse the viewer with sexy looking, non-explicit love scenes (i.e., no hard-core, close up shots like you'd expect in a porno)...and this movie does a very good job of that. All three of the female members of the cast (Tracy Smith, Lauren Hays, Nancy O'Brien) are attractive, especially Tracy Smith. All three give realistic performances during their sex scenes, as if they're actually having sex and enjoying it. And the hot tub scene between Tracy Smith and Nancy O'Brien is especially erotic to watch. If you're looking for a well thought out, suspenseful movie, with a tight plot, great acting, and good character development, I suggest you watch L.A. Confidential. If you're looking to arouse your libido with good sex scenes involving beautiful women, make sure you get the un-rated version, sit back, and enjoy.

The acting was quite good for a movie of this sort, you actually get the feeling you are watching some decent actors and actresses and not some porn stars. Writing also was not that bad. While a plot evolving around 'killing a man by giving him some good sex' may seem thin, it is well worked out and there is even some room for character development. The end was a bit rough, like all the sudden the money had run out. But apart from the anti-climax I really can't say the film is bad in any way.

There are however censored versions out, that cut all the naked and sex scenes and make it a very 'housewomen' like TV-thriller. while this proves much of the women friendliness of the film, it's a bit overambitious for this one however. Plot and acting is indeed decent for what it was made for, but it is not that I would pay 5 bucks while there are many other direct to TV thrillers that are just better out there in the budget boxes. So make sure you get the unrated version.

On fun note: the idea of women in the hot California keeping black stockings in their drawer, just to wear whenever they want kinky sex.

In addition to being a sly post-Feminist meditation on the theme of empowerment via self-exploitation and violence, Web of Seduction is a timely liberal commentary on the US's recent/current state of affairs. Several allusions to the `theft' of the 2000 election (e.g. manipulating state statutes to bypass the normal unfolding of legal events; the political philosophy of `by any means necessary'; the anxiety of inherited position) make this biting satire a sure bet for any armchair politicians who like taking a hard look at the GOP along with a little TnA. Director Blain Brown once again pays homage to Hitchcock with his expert handling of the genre convention of voyeurism (more deeply explored in his 1997 debut I'm Watching You), perhaps as an acknowledgment of our own position as spectators rather than participants in the field of American politics. Gifted with an intuitive grasp of mis-en-scene (notice redhead Lauren Hays's deliberately false `tan'), Brown casts an unflinching spotlight on the corruption of the so-called `California lifestyle' where back room conspiracies are the norm, even in the most intimate of relationships everyone is `acting', and above all else, money reigns supreme. In a way, eerily prescient of the 2003 CA gubernatorial election, this film is equally accessible to political neophyte and expert alike.

"Web of Seduction" holds a special place in my heart, it's a nostalgia trip if you will. In the US, productions like these are usually kept on Cinemax, far away from impressionable children. In Belgium, nobody gave a damn and we just showed this on regular television. Oh boy, did we show it. I've seen this movie so many times I thought it was a test pattern. After careful revision, I feel like it holds up to this day.

The main attraction of this movie is obvious: the intricate plot, which is about two dissatisfied wives who form a pact to kill each other's husband. The plot somewhat resembles "Strangers On A Train", but it makes less sense because the women involved are not actual strangers but rather neighbors and friends. Like, I reckon the police could still figure all this out quite easily. Not everything goes according to plan, giving us the best twist I've ever seen outside of "Days Of Our Lives".

While the film moves at a brisk pace, it is slowed down somewhat by the characters' constant appetite for sexual intercourse. This movie has six characters and though I should have made a chart, I'm pretty sure everyone has sex with everyone. This makes no sense, because some of them are married and still bone somebody besides their spouses. As a devote Christian, I don't condone any of that. To add insult to injury, we also get a threesome, some girl on girl action and (albeit very tame) masturbation. For shame "Web Of Seduction", you don't need smut like that.

The stand-out performer of the movie is without a doubt Lauren Hays, who is actually very believable as the sultry femme fatale and clearly enjoys playing this role. Unfortunately she hasn't done much in the field of erotic thrillers, though curiously she has done half a dozen of movies that appear to be foot porn. As good as she is here, I don't think "Fondle My Feet!" and "Bare Feet A Trois" (both real titles) will show much of her acting chops. Traci Ryan is very cute as the naive wive who turns to murder surprisingly quickly, but Nancy O'Brien appears to think she's acting in a "Scooby Doo" climax. And if it wasn't for you meddling kids!

Do these guys take have a computer kick out these same plots over and over again, only the names, places, and faces are changed to prevent complete boredom. Hubby is handsome and rich, but too busy to pay attention to his gorgeous wife. A situation she constantly tries to remedy. Her friend/neighbor has the same problem so they become interested in each others hubbies--the grass is always greener. Throw in a sexy scheming made who has designs on everybody and you get a lot of stripping and dipping and a salad bowl of an unintelligible plot.

The quality of bodies is pretty high here, although not much in the way of "contact", even simulated is shown. Good late night erotica if Jay Leno can't put you to sleep.