- Director : John McNaughton
- Actors : Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon, Theresa Russell
- Media Format : 4K
- Run time : 1 hour and 55 minutes
- Studio : Arrow Video
- Country of Origin : USA
- Number of discs : 1
- Release date : May 24, 2022
Wild Things was edgy and controversial when
it was released in the late 1990s, though it is fairly tame by today’s standards.
Although the reasons Wild Things was successful on initial release don’t
pack the same punch, it does hold up as a campy take on the film noir genre.
There are more twists than the plot seems capable of containing, until it
almost becomes predictable. Kevin Bacon called the screenplay "the
trashiest thing he had ever read" before becoming an executive producer
and agreeing to co-star, highlighting the way exploitative elements were
celebrated from the beginning.
Wild Things
starts with a ridiculous scene in which Florida high school guidance counselor
Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillon) gives an assembly to discuss sex crimes with a room of
rambunctious students. The assembly is also attended by police detectives Ray
Duquette (Kevin Bacon) and his partner Gloria Perez (Daphne Rubin-Vega), who then
coincidentally investigate Lombardo when wealthy student Kelly Lanier Van Ryan
(Denise Richards) accuses him of sexual assault. Outcast student Suzie Toller
(Neve Campbell) also comes forward with accusations, leading to Lombardo losing
his job and forced to defend himself in court.
Duquette and
Perez are suspicious of the accusations and begin investigating, leading to a
series of twists and turns. Several characters stab each other in the back,
frame each other, and use sexuality as a trap. This is likely why Wild Things
is often lumped in with other neo noir crime films. Richards is an obvious
femme fatale within the narrative, but not the only one. There are so many
twists that credit scenes are used to fully explain the motivations and actions
of those at the center of the narrative.
Wild Things is a fun and trashy film, never taking
itself too seriously. At the same time, it is mild in regards to the film’s sex
scenes, even if they were slightly edgy in the ‘90s. Surprisingly, it is Bacon
who ends up showing the most skin, though Richards received plenty of attention
for her scenes as the seductive teen. Even if Wild Things isn’t a
classic, it was enough of a pop culture moment to inspire three direct-to-video
sequels.
The Arrow Films UHD
limited edition box set release for Wild Things features a new 4K
restoration and presentation of both the original theatrical version and the unrated
cut taken from the original camera negatives. The 4K presentation is in Dolby
Vision with the original uncompressed stereo audio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround
sound.
Along with the two
versions of the film and special features on the disc, the Wild Things
box set comes with an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on
the film by Anne Billson and Sean Hogan, as well as production stills and
cast/crew info. Also in the package is a double-sided fold-out poster featuring
the original one-sheet artwork on one side and newly commissioned artwork by
Sam Hadley. Both images are also on the reversible sleeve for the 4K disc. There
are additional images on
six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions also
included.
Additional special
features on the disc include the following:
- Optional
English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
- Exclusive
new audio commentary by director John McNaughton and producer Steven A.
Jones
- Commentary
by director John McNaughton, cinematographer Jeffrey Kimball, producers
Steven A. Jones and Rodney Liber, editor Elena Maganini and score composer
George S. Clinton
- Exclusive
new interview with John McNaughton
- Exclusive
new interview with Denise Richards
- Making
of documentary
- An
Understanding Lawyer outtakes
- Trailer
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 6/10
Historical
Significance: 6.5/10
Special Features: 9/10
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