Wild Things

Wild Things" is lurid trash, with a plot so twisted they're still explaining it during the closing titles. It's like a three-way collision between a softcore sex film, a soap opera and a B-grade noir. I liked it. An update of 1981s Florida Noir, Body Heat.90s queen of slick exploitation/teen horror, Neve Campbell gives Matt Dillon and Kevin Bacon lots of chances to squint ominously, and has a sex scene with Denise Richards (of "Starship Troopers") that is either gratuitous or indispensable, depending on your point of view.Plus, it has Bill Murray (who also appeared in the director's Mad Dog and Glory, opposite De Niro and Uma Thurman) as a storefront lawyer (think: Saul Goodman) who delivers 20 minutes of hilarity, which at the time is the last thing we're expecting.Movies such as this either entertain or offend audiences; there's no middle ground. Either you're a connoisseur of melodramatic comic vulgarity, or you're not. You know who you are. I don't want to get t I'm telling you: It's bad taste. Bad taste elevated to the level of demented sleaze.The plot: Matt Dillon plays Lombardo, a high school teacher who was "educator of the year" and has an engraved lucite goblet to prove it. As the movie opens, he writes "SEX CRIMES" on the board at a school assembly, and introduces speakers on the subject, including police officers Duquette (Bacon) and Perez (Daphne Rubin-Vega). In the back of the room, a student named Suzie (Neve Campbell) stalks out, yelling "kiss my ***" It's not yet clear if she's referring to Bacon or Dillon, but this is the kind of plot where it works either way.Then we meet Kelly Van Ryan (Denise Richards), the richest kid in the upscale Florida enclave of Blue Bay. She's got the hots for Mr. Lombardo. She follows him home, asks for rides, washes his Jeep and turns up in his living room so thoroughly soaked, she reminds us of the classic Hollywood line about Esther Williams: "Dry, she ain't much. Wet, she's a star!" Later, we see her leaving the teacher's humble bungalow, looking mad.Why is she mad? The thing is, the ending of this film begins at the 45-minute mark, and is so complicated, I doubt if it can be given away. What sets up everything, in any event, is Kelly's testimony that she was raped by Mr. Lombardo--and the surprise testimony of Suzie that she was, too.Suzie lives in a trashy trailer out behind an alligator farm run by Carrie Snodgress. But Kelly lives on the right side of town, in manorial splendor, with her bikini-wearing, cocktail swilling mom (Theresa Russell), who has had an affair with Lombardo despite being married to Robert Wagner. Hearing her daughter has been raped by him, Mom is enraged, and snarls, "That SOB must be insane to think he can do this to me!" That's the kind of dialogue that elevates ordinary garbage into great trash. Here's another line, after a murder: "My mother would kill me if she knew I took the Rover!" Bill Murray lands in the middle of this pie like a plum from heaven. Wearing a neck brace as part of an insurance scam, Murray runs his shabby storefront law office like a big downtown spread; when he asks his secretary to "show Mr. Duquette his way out," all she needs to do is look up and say, "goodbye," since the door is in arm's reach of everything else in the office.Without giving away the ending, that's about all I can tell you. See the movie, and you'll understand how very much I must leave unsaid.The director is Chicago based John McNaughton, whose work includes inspired films such as Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, the criminally underrated NormalLife (bluray, please!) and the aforementioned Scorsese produced Mad Dog and Glory. He likes to show audiences how wrong their expectations are, by upsetting them. That worked in "Henry" as grim tragedy, and it works here as satire.Don't leave when the end titles start to roll. Credit cookies (those little bonus scenes they stick in between "Key Grip" and "Location Catering") are usually used for outtakes showing Butt Reynolds blowing his lines or Jackie Chan breaking his legs. In Wild Things, McNaughton does something new: flashbacks, showing us stuff that was offscreen the first time around. The movie is still explaining itself as the "curtains" close. That said, any "explanation" would be a Warren Commission - like undertaking. But what a ride!While the R-rated standard-def DVD version of 'Wild Things' included an audio commentary from director John McNaughton and some outtakes, there are zero supplements on this Blu-ray version of 'Wild Things' -- not even a theatrical trailer. To be fair, the deleted scenes from that earlier release have been reintegrated into this Unrated version, but the missing audio commentary is a real bummer (especially for a film with such a twisty plot).

Good movie with suspense that keeps you interested. Just a bunch of deceitful people who are out for their own.

I can't believe this fine film has only been reviewed 316 times! I'd have expected at least 1000 reviews. I never saw this film in theatres but I did see it on video when it was released at Potomac Video stores Chevy Chase, DC. I was blown away by the story and the twists and turns. The DVD was even more enthralling, containing extra scenes that bolstered the story. These were unavailable on the VHS.I seeing this movie again for the first time in 20 years. I must say it was as good if not better the second time around as it was first time. I had actually forgotten huge chunks of the plot in the ensuing two decades.Matt Dillon plays Sam Lombardo, a high-school guidance counselor who is a player. But not only is he a player but a player who sleeps with his own kids. This appears to get him in trouble as he is accused of rape by Kelly Van Ryan, daughter of a wealthy Dade County socialite. Then there is Suzie Toller, brainless, backwards girl from the other side of the tracks--or is she? After recanting her testimony that Sam raped her too, a settlement in his lawsuit is made and he gets 8.5 million in cash--or does he? Kevin Bacon plays a dogged and virtuous cop in search of the truth--or is he?All of these questions permeate the production of this fantastic mystery--a mystery with ore twists than an American pretzel. I loved it! Everything was original in this great yarn. The casting of the film was fantastic! Everyone was believable in their roles without any second guessing by the viewer. The sex, the violence, the action--all were believable. This was the first time I'd ever seen a threesome in a mainstream Hollywood production. It was great!Now there were three post-credit scenes that were not originally included in the VHS release. These extra scenes cleared up many questions I had when I viewed this DVD (And Probably Also From My Original VHS Viewing, Too). I do feel it was a little bit over the top for Detective Duquette to barge into the guest house and murder poor Kelly. It was ridiculous and unnecessary--especially when it looked as if she was going to be tried for the murder of Suzie, anyway. Why throw away his career the way he had? I know what you are thinking. He was going to get millions. But why not get the millions AND keep his career, too? It might well have saved his life.This was a film of double-double crosses. Sam double-crossed Kelly into thinking he'd killed Suzie while also duping Ray into believing that Suzie was dead as he attempted to remove him from the picture entirely. But in the end, Suzie kills them all! Wow, what an astonishing surprise! Women rule! Women on top and of course the lawyer, played wonderfully by Bill Murray. I highly recommend this movie. I'm the 317th person to review it on Amazon. Buy it and you won't be disappointed.A. Nathaniel Wallace, Jr.The morale of this story is to never take a boat ride with someone you've done a dodgy deal with until you've gotten your cut--and even then it's not a good idea. You certainly don't want to accept a drink from someone with whom you don't trust. After being offered a drink from Suzie, Sam should have told her to drink it first.

Forgot really how it went just wanted to see it again, Enjoyable

I like the story and the conclusion

Highly recommended

Great story, scenery, acting.

Those involved in the money grabbing plot were predictable. Mediocre movie with a few famous names.

Pretty good value for money. The uncut Blu-ray features good picture and sound quality, 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 spoilt beauty, a good character for her, she's not convicting anyone as a nuclear scientist. She's got a Ph-DD's, am I right boys? She's basically there too look drop dead gorgeous and occasionally take off her top. 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.The uncut version features some extra scenes.

Oh, boy does this film suck. (It so does NOT suck) But Neve Campbell's performance makes up for its many, many shortcomings. Bill Murray is, as ever, cool. (It’s just a shame that prudish Matt Dillon doesn’t even show his ass) Denise Richards is one of my favourite actresses and is much, MUCH better when clothed. This version seems to be an extended version (nearly TWO HOURS!) There’s some rather excellent SDH subtitles. No extras. Zero, zilch. Not even a trailer. Worth watching for Kevin’s Kevin. Big-boobed Denise may not be a Julianne Moore. Or even a Sandy B. But she’s pretty to look at. And a far, FAR better actress than that Jennifer Aniston.

Can't say much as was sent the normal version of the movie so sent it back

Not very erotic. Not very good. Not very interesting. It tries very hard with plot surprises, but in the end who cares?

I saw this many years ago during the Show Girls / Species / Wild Things stretch into making movies a little more risqué. The film's a mess, there are some twists in the plot which when you've seen once stop surprising you. There are scenes which attracted a lot of attention at the time which have lost their impact over the years, it's ok, but just OK.