Cruel Intentions (B+ or 3/4 stars)
A pair of ruthless siblings plot a tale of seduction, revenge, & conquest in 'Cruel Intentions', directed by Roger Kumble. After seducing & ruining the reputation of a trusting classmate, the sparks fly when Kathryn (Sarah Michelle Gellar) poses a challenge to her voracious stepbrother, Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe). The challenge? To deflower the Headmaster's beautiful, virginal daughter, Annette (Reese Witherspoon). If he fails, Kathryn gets his '56 jaguar, if he succeeds, Sebastian gets to sleep with Kathryn. Can he bed Annette (the virgin who wants to wait for love)? Will Annette be able to humble Sebastian? And can Kathryn keep her cool in orchestrating this feverish game of cat & mouse? A modern re-make of 1988's Dangerous Liaisons, this film is not as impeccably made, well written, or superbly acted as the original. But this movie IS very sexy, and just a Hell of a lot of fun. It's hard to screw up juicy material such as this.
Kathryn & Sebastian, a pair of wealthy, manipulative teens from Manhattan's elite, decide to make a diabolical wager btwn. the 2 of them. This wager includes Cecile (Selma Blair), & sweet-natured Annette (Witherspoon). Why the wager? Well, it is summer break, & Kathryn has been dumped for the naive Cecile. It is here where Kathryn suggests to Sebastian, sexually promiscuous stepbrother, to woo Cecile, bed her; thus making her damaged goods. Bored with his recent sexual conquests, he then proposes to Kathryn that he'll bed the virginal Annette. According to Seventeen Magazine, she will only have sex after marriage. If he succeeds in getting her into bed, he gets to sleep with his stepsister. She agrees to this deal.
At first, Sebastian has some trouble breaking Annette's will. But after a series of manipulations, he starts to wear her down; and she becomes enamored by him. She can't believe she's contemplating going to bed with him. He can't believe he may be falling in love with her. And once Kathryn gets a whiff of what's going on, her scheming mind starts going into overdrive. Will Sebastian gets his one night of unbridled pleasure with his stepsister? Or will his love for Annette prevent him from winning his end of the wager? Will Kathryn get his '56 jaguar? Or will she suffer shame & defeat? Tragedy strikes, & the game changes for everyone.
'Cruel Intentions' is not brilliant, but it's easy to watch, is full of nasty intrigue, and is smart enough for any age group to appreciate. It's wicked fun. Some of it is raunchy, but not to a fault (only slightly exploitative, haha). Kumble keeps this material fresh by adding some minor twists to the proceedings (there's homosexual sex, interracial sex, girls kissing, etc.). This version has a slightly different ending. I prefer the original. But this one is not without merit. It is equally sad, & someone still gets what they deserve as a result of it ... the ultimate comeuppance. This 1999 version will not be winning any awards. And as mentioned, it is not as masterful or as 'dangerous' as the original. But 'Cruel Intentions' will find an audience, and they will seek out the original because of this one's success.
Kathryn & Sebastian, a pair of wealthy, manipulative teens from Manhattan's elite, decide to make a diabolical wager btwn. the 2 of them. This wager includes Cecile (Selma Blair), & sweet-natured Annette (Witherspoon). Why the wager? Well, it is summer break, & Kathryn has been dumped for the naive Cecile. It is here where Kathryn suggests to Sebastian, sexually promiscuous stepbrother, to woo Cecile, bed her; thus making her damaged goods. Bored with his recent sexual conquests, he then proposes to Kathryn that he'll bed the virginal Annette. According to Seventeen Magazine, she will only have sex after marriage. If he succeeds in getting her into bed, he gets to sleep with his stepsister. She agrees to this deal.
At first, Sebastian has some trouble breaking Annette's will. But after a series of manipulations, he starts to wear her down; and she becomes enamored by him. She can't believe she's contemplating going to bed with him. He can't believe he may be falling in love with her. And once Kathryn gets a whiff of what's going on, her scheming mind starts going into overdrive. Will Sebastian gets his one night of unbridled pleasure with his stepsister? Or will his love for Annette prevent him from winning his end of the wager? Will Kathryn get his '56 jaguar? Or will she suffer shame & defeat? Tragedy strikes, & the game changes for everyone.
'Cruel Intentions' is not brilliant, but it's easy to watch, is full of nasty intrigue, and is smart enough for any age group to appreciate. It's wicked fun. Some of it is raunchy, but not to a fault (only slightly exploitative, haha). Kumble keeps this material fresh by adding some minor twists to the proceedings (there's homosexual sex, interracial sex, girls kissing, etc.). This version has a slightly different ending. I prefer the original. But this one is not without merit. It is equally sad, & someone still gets what they deserve as a result of it ... the ultimate comeuppance. This 1999 version will not be winning any awards. And as mentioned, it is not as masterful or as 'dangerous' as the original. But 'Cruel Intentions' will find an audience, and they will seek out the original because of this one's success.