Wild Things - Lilith Likes to Watch

Title: Wild Things Year: 1998 Starring: Kevin Bacon, Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Matt Dillon Director: John McNaughton Synopsis: A police detective uncovers a conspiracy behind a case involving a high-school guidance counselor when accusations of rape are made against him by two female students. - Via IMDB Lilith's Notes: Kevin Bacon's penis.

"After tonight, the three of us are not to be seen together ever again."

A handful of reviews ago, I declared that I am putting a halt to erotic thrillers. No more erotic thrillers. And, look where we are now. How did we get here? What did I go and do this for?

I don't know. Wild Things had the same thing going for it that Threesome did. It came out in a time where I wasn't allowed to see it and so I build it up in my head as this big scandalous thing. Julia Salinger from Party of Five was going to get naked and kiss another girl. Kevin Bacon was also going to get naked. There was a threesome! Holy motherfucking shit!

With the exception that this threesome was a little hotter than the threesome in Threesome, this didn't live up anywhere near the hype. Apparently Neve Campbell has a "No boobs on screen" clause in her contract. All we see of her is her back. Don't misunderstand me, a well filmed semi-clothed scene can be just as beautiful and erotic as complete nudity, but this was pretty flat. I even went to the trouble of watching the extended version. Not a single shot or frame stood out and made me take notice.

I watched this movie two weeks ago and I'm hard-pressed to say anything about it. The mystery sucks and is just twisty for the sake of being twisty. A good mystery leaves clues so the audience can try and solve it before or along with the cop or detective before the big reveal. It wasn't as out of fucking nowhere like Exotica, but it reads like Film School Student's First Screenplay. Not a huge amount of substance, and very little style.

There's a really dumb plot point that involves teeth that raises more questions than it answers.

The one positive I can say, I suppose, is that everyone's performances were good, especially Neve Campbell. I liked her character and I felt a degree of sympathy for her. I just wish that character was in a better, sexier film.

A hotter threesome than Threesome's threesome, but that's not saying much.

LILITH'S SCORE: 2/5

NEXT TIME: A movie that explains a lot about me, we deep dive into Bram Stoker's Dracula.