Michael
A. Maynez
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Michael
A. Maynez
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A look at the Florida everglades is misleading with alligators running rampant all over the lush foreboding swampy lands, when the flick is about well endowed beautiful young women, with a per chance for love-making with a teacher, who just happens to be the educator of the year in the shape of Matt Dillon, and when one of the gorgeously endowed girls, Denise Richards screams rape the stage is set for fireworks, Kevin Bacon, plays the detective who investigates the case and doesn’t fall for the bait. He feels it was more consensual. When the case goes to trial, Neve Campbell, (as you have never seen her before), testifies that she too was a former rape victim of the teacher. Now the cop has his work cut out for him. Dillon declaring innocent of all charges, is a great charmer and the audience is in for a roller-coaster ride. The surprises and twists and turns of this thriller, embroils the audience and you wonder where it will stop.
This film would have been brilliant if Kevin Bacon, as executive producer, John McNaughton, director, Stephen Peters, as scriptwriter, had known when to stop with the twists and turns, but no, they had to keep going and insult the intelligence of their audience. The perfect ending would have been when Kevin Bacon steps out of the shower full frontal nudity and faces his nemesis. Instead they even keep explaining everything to the filmgoers even as the end-titles are rolling. Please take this back and end it properly, as it is it is just too clever and cute for its own sake.
Florida and the Caribbean have never been photographed more lovingly, by Jeffrey L. Kimball, music by George S. Clinton, and production designed by Edward T. McAvoy. Theresa Russell plays a very interesting rich widow, who buys off Matt Dillon; it was pleasant to renew our good vibes for her.
Nothing in this movie is what it seems and maybe that was the problem.
The shocking “R” rating may be well deserved, but really, we have seen
manage a trois in flicks like “Lenny” etc. etc. etc. The lesson to
be learn here is NEVER UNESTIMATE THE INTELLIGENCE OF YOUR AUDIENCE, ALWAYS
LEAVE THEM WANTING FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE.
Reference:
Wild Things
Columbia Pictures (Sony)
Directed by: John McNaughton
Produced by: Steven A. Jones, Rodney M. Liber
With: Kevin Bacon, Matt
Dillon, Neve Campbell, Denise
Richards, Daphine Rubin-Vega, Robert Wagner
Executive producer: Kevin Bacon
Music by: George S. Clinton
Casting: Linda Lowry, John Brace
Costume design by: Kimberly A. Tillman
Production Design by: Edward T. McAvoy
Director of photography: Jeffrey L. Kimball
Edited by: Elena Maganini
Written by: Stephen Peters
Running time: 108 min
Rated: R