WILD THINGS 1998
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1998 Timothy Voon
1 :-) for the wild life
Cast: Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Theresa Russell, Denise Richards, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Carrie Snodgress, Jeff Perry, Robert Wagner, Bill Murray Director: John McNaughton Screenplay: Stephen Peters
The sound of drums beat heavily in time with the throb of jungle life thrashing in the Florida swamps. The lustful note of this movie opens to the angry snap of alligator jaws, as wild things sound their mating call. The scent of pheromones lingers in the tepid air of the humid climate. However, the animals aren't caged or lurking in the nearby jungle, instead, they exist in a civilised community of man made wealth next door – Blue Bay Florida.
The elite in the Bay dine at exclusive clubs, fuck who they wish and buy what they want. A philanthropic school counsellor, Guy Lombardo (Matt Dillon) who has done too many rounds, gets accused of raping two schoolgirls. One is a drug addict and school misfit (Neve Campbell); the other is the daughter (Denise Richards) of a prominent Bay family. What follows is a series of bizarre twist and turns, literally both in bed and in death, which will keep you guessing till the end.
Some people may find the unpredictable style of this movie to their liking. However, it can also be annoyingly and unbelievable, to reach the end only to be rudely awakened by three successive changes of plot. Which in ways is reminiscent of the SCREAM franchise, which relies heavily on the ferocious unpredictability of the story line.
If you haven't seen Matt Dillon (IN AND OUT) in a while, be prepared to see a lot of him in this movie. He gets to show how talented he is in bed and how group therapy poses no problems in his acting department. Neve Campbell (SCREAM), has fallen into a genre of shlock, shock and now sex movies, and her role in this movie is merely wild and depraved. Whilst Miss Goody-Two-Shoes, Denise Richards (STARSHIP TROOPERS), plays out her school girl fantasies in the most adult sort of a way. Then there is also Theresa Russell, who also gets her share of bedtime.
Lots of raunchy sex which may or may not be therapeutic.
Timothy Voon
e-mail: stirling@netlink.com.au
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