Review rated by 26 Ciao members on average: very helpful
Cruel Intentions is the 1999 film which is a modern day remake of Dangerous Liaisons, and based on the 18th century novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses. It is a tale of seduction and is well directed by Roger Kumble.
The film is a twisted tale of seduction with the backdrop of wealthy college kids in the States. Kathryn (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe) are step-siblings with common morals - each is the most popular of their sex, and each regularly proves to the other how good they are at bedding someone. Kathryn bets Sebastian that he cannot bed Annette (Reese Witherspoon), a virgin who has vowed to wait until love before losing her virginity. If he succeeds, he gets to spend a night with Kathryn.
Essentially, this film is about nothing but ego. There are some good performances on show, with the two leads giving seductive and passionate performances. The supporting cast is equally as good, with Joshua Jackson, Selma Blair and Sean Patrick Thomas strong in their roles, but no one else really stands out.
There is a little comedy in the film, which takes the seductive nature to a new level, and explores the inner devil and disregards all morals and ethics and goes straight for the jugular in showing us how devious the human mind can be. Kathryn is nothing short of selfish and arrogant, and Sebastian is not that dissimilar, although he does have the odd moment of clarity where he rethinks how he is.
Ultimately, the film is enjoyable, but the plot is as shallow as its characters. At times it drags and I wondered where it was going with some of its subplots. It does deal with social issues that affect us such as drugs, sex and social status, and does so in an up front manner, not shirking away from tackling them. The film achieved relative success, but was never intended to be a big blockbuster. It has been criticised for its cruel depiction of teenage society, but I would say its handling of this was maturely done.
The film is probably not one I would watch over and over again, but if it is on TV, I would probably put it on. The DVD is available from amazon.co.uk for £3.98.
by (15%):
21.12.2008 16:54
great review aggy
21.12.2008 12:47
Good review. Just needed a but more information on the characters. Have a healthy and happy Christmas.