Cruel Intentions > Reviews > Watchable

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Indifferent to it
Story	Good
Characters / Performances	Satisfactory
Special Effects	Standard
How does it compare to similar films?	Good

Advantages:	Entertaining
Disadvantages:	But ultimately flawed

Recommend to potential buyers:

no

Full review

Although this film came out with a blaze of publicity (especially about the much touted lesbian kiss between Sarah Michelle Gellar and Selma Blair) it failed to deliver on so many levels. The DVD version of CI has several deleted scenes - including one where Sebastian catches Greg and Joshua in bed. The deleted scene is so much more... Valmont than the one they shot in its place. The whole film is a
compromise between sticking to the plot and getting a 15 rather than an 18 rating. The relationship between Sebastian and his 'Madame de Tourvel' Annette never reaches the same intensity as the more cerebral Dangerous Liaisons, or indeed the more fun Valmont. In short, it seems contrived, and inevitable that they will be together. It isn`t the movie`s fault, however. The pulling power of the cast (mainly in the teen age group) demanded a lower rated movie than the director hoped for. The real star is Selma Blair, who as Cecile brings an innocence and vibrancy to the role that Uma Thurman failed to achieve in her portrayal. You actually believe she is naive and willing to learn from the master. Buy it, enjoy it, but follow it up with Dangerous Liaisons afterwards to see how it should be done.