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Talk about
something for everyone -- Wild Things works out to be a
subversive comedy all dressed up as a thriller about
money, sex and revenge. Everything is false, everyone
tells lies, everybody is suspect.
All that, and some bisexual necking scenes, too. Wild Things starts off as a melodrama about
a high school teacher (Matt Dillon) in an ultra-rich
Florida community and the two nymphets who accuse him of
sexual assault (Denise Richards and Neve Campbell).
If you've seen the ads for this film then you already
know that the rape charges are a red herring. There's
something else going on that involves large sums of money
and similarly big amounts of deception.
And that is just the beginning.
Kevin Bacon plays a gun-happy detective, Daphne
Rubin-Vega is his police partner, Theresa Russell is the
local rich widow, Bill Murray is a lawyer and both Carrie
Snodgress and Robert Wagner show up in the story as
opposite ends of the social spectrum in town.
Wild Things has a wonderfully convoluted plot, but the
less you know, the better. It's a dark little story, and
part of the humor is that it's played out against the
perfect bright sun and blue sky of the Florida coast.
When the movie starts to become funny seems to depend
upon the viewer -- Wild Things is huge melodrama, and at
the screening we attended, the titters began in earnest
when Robert Wagner bans Matt Dillon (accused rapist!)
from the local sailing club.
Others swear they were chuckling from the opening
credits. Certainly, the introduction of Bill Murray into
the story sort of tips the filmmaker's hand. It's sickish
humor, mind you.
Wild Things is a bit like Scream meets 90210; all
youthful intrigue and good bodies and ridiculous
situations, but with scary bits and violence. Or so
you'll believe. John McNaughton -- who also made Henry:
Portrait Of A Serial Killer, just so you know where you
are -- directs Wild Things. Since several characters in
the film lie to each other all the time, McNaughton is
directing actors who are 'acting' within their acting, if
you follow.
If you see this movie, please stay to watch the final
credits. Like every other "thriller," it has
loose ends -- all of which are tied up in a handful of
scenes woven into those credits.
Wild Things is a strange sort of hybrid of a movie, and
it's not unlike a very long, somewhat jumbled joke.
Great punchline, though.
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