Wild Things
`People aren't always what they appear to be. Don't forget that.' Ray's (Kevin Bacon) sage words of advice couldn't ring more true about this tale of deception and hidden alliances. Wild Things, set in a bayou college town, is sleazy neo-noir a la Body Heat. The direction and acting are mediocre; however, Stephen Peters script is quite clever, delivering a number of unexpected twists that just don't let up. It's all a bit contrived and unbelievable, but it's very fun. The film isn't quite as sexy or explicit as the hype led viewers to expect, but it delivers enough to keep one interested until the final credit. The menage a trois between Lombardo (Dillon), Suzie (Campbell), and Kelly (Richards) leaves a lot to be desired; it's a bit lifeless, and Dillon's facial expressions are laughable. Bill Murray is solid but miscast as a soft but sleazy lawyer, and Teresa Russell's acting skills regress with each film she makes.
The final credits sequence is interesting. It contains scenes that (fortunately) were not used for the main body of the film; if they had, they would have made some of the calculated twists much too obvious. The very last scene between Campbell and Bill Murray, which rolls after the aforementioned scenes, extends/embellishes the story with one more twist. All the twists seem to work just perfectly like a snug-fitting puzzle. Director John McNaughton is best known for his stylish debut film Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Kevin Bacon served as executive producer. Recommended on a slow evening.
`People aren't always what they appear to be. Don't forget that.' Ray's (Kevin Bacon) sage words of advice couldn't ring more true about this tale of deception and hidden alliances. Wild Things, set in a bayou college town, is sleazy neo-noir a la Body Heat. The direction and acting are mediocre; however, Stephen Peters script is quite clever, delivering a number of unexpected twists that just don't let up. It's all a bit contrived and unbelievable, but it's very fun. The film isn't quite as sexy or explicit as the hype led viewers to expect, but it delivers enough to keep one interested until the final credit. The menage a trois between Lombardo (Dillon), Suzie (Campbell), and Kelly (Richards) leaves a lot to be desired; it's a bit lifeless, and Dillon's facial expressions are laughable. Bill Murray is solid but miscast as a soft but sleazy lawyer, and Teresa Russell's acting skills regress with each film she makes.
The final credits sequence is interesting. It contains scenes that (fortunately) were not used for the main body of the film; if they had, they would have made some of the calculated twists much too obvious. The very last scene between Campbell and Bill Murray, which rolls after the aforementioned scenes, extends/embellishes the story with one more twist. All the twists seem to work just perfectly like a snug-fitting puzzle. Director John McNaughton is best known for his stylish debut film Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Kevin Bacon served as executive producer. Recommended on a slow evening.