aidenvalistair

Review - Wild Things (1998) - 10/10

Wild Things is a masterclass in neo-noir sleaze, a film that takes the erotic thriller formula of the '90s and turns it into an unpredictable labyrinth of deceit, seduction, and double-crosses. Directed by John McNaughton, this sun-soaked Florida mystery layers its plot with the precision of a con artist, giving viewers just enough to think they've figured it out-before gleefully yanking the rug out from under them again.

From the very beginning, the film oozes tension. Kevin Bacon delivers a sharp, controlled performance as Detective Ray Duquette, whose investigation into accusations made by two seemingly naïve high school girls-played with dangerous charm by Neve Campbell and Denise Richards-spirals into a tangled web of betrayal. Matt Dillon, as the slick guidance counselor Sam Lombardo, walks the line between victim and predator so smoothly that it's impossible to pin him down until the film wants you to.

The brilliance of Wild Things lies not just in its bold, risqué style, but in its refusal to play by the audience's expectations. Every time you think the mystery has been solved, a new layer peels back to reveal another manipulation at play. The Florida setting isn't just a backdrop-it's a character in itself, with its sweltering heat, humid air, and swampy menace adding a sticky tension that clings to every scene.

And then there's that now-iconic twist-laden finale, capped with a credits sequence that slyly reveals the hidden moves behind the entire game. It rewards repeat viewings, because once you know the truth, you can't help but marvel at how meticulously the film plants its seeds.

Slick, scandalous, and unashamedly audacious, Wild Things is the rare erotic thriller that manages to be both a guilty pleasure and a genuinely clever piece of filmmaking. It's a perfect storm of style, storytelling, and surprise-earning its place as one of the most entertaining thrillers of the decade.

Final verdict: 10/10 - A swampy, sexy, and razor-sharp noir where everyone's playing everyone else... and loving every second of it.