ironhorse_iv
There's a lesbian kiss between Sarah Michelle Gellar & Selma Blair's characters & sadly, that's what most people remember about this movie. Nevertheless, this film directed by Roger Kumble, originally named 'Cruel Inventions' before getting renamed, in order, to sound, less sci-fiction, has more to give, than just that. While, I wouldn't say, this American teenager film version is the best adaptation of author, Pierre Choderios de Laclo's 1782's novel, 'Les Liaisons dangereuses'; because it's not. I can say, the film about two teenager socialite step-siblings, Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah Michelle Gellar) & Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Phillippe), using seduction as a weapon to socially control and exploit others like Cecile Caldwell (Selma Blair) & Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon), all the while enjoying their cruel games and boasting about their manipulative talents, was not that bad. It was mediocre, at best. Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, this movie didn't have the same success and impact, as 1988's 'Dangerous Liaisons', had; maybe, because writer, Roger Kumble use a modern teenager settling, with little to no stalks, attached to it, rather than, setting the movie, with older crowd in a more compelling and complex location, like Wall Street, Hollywood, or better yet, in order, to fit more, with the French-like libertinism themes of the novel, post Antebellum, New Orleans College Life. Another reason, why the original settling works so well, is because, that novel depict 'Ancien Régime' French aristocracy, so cruel & corrupt, that it justified, the reasons, why the French Revolution, was needed. Here, the film does not, expose the dark side of capitalism & materialism that much, to justified, any reform, nor does it, make, the characters, too unlikable to hate. Toward the middle of the movie, the tone of the piece, switch, from, exposing the perversions of upper society to romantic teen drama, about Sebastian, slowly, falling in love, with one of his victim, Annette. Sebastian is presented far more sympathetically than his counterpart in the original novel and its adaptations. Because of this, the tone of this bet, makes the film, seem like it belong in the same typical cheesy teen-pop vain as films like 1999's "She's All that', than the cruel actions of 1959's 'Les liaisons dangereuses'. It's sad, because, this movie could had been something, so much, more, than kinda bland. Although, the film documents themes like incest, homosexuality, and miscegenation, it plays those subjects, pretty safe for a Rated R movie. Also, hardly any graphic nudity. This film, wasn't as risky as the original with its shining example of debauchery and decadence. After all, Valmont in the novel, does rape, and cause a lot of people to commit suicide, a lot more seriously. Sebastian in the film, is far from being, true-evil. Another big change from the novel, is the ending. Instead, of a justified duel to the death for a character that deserve it, the film, ends, bittersweet, with the lover, saving his love's life from accident. This ending, doesn't have the same impact as the original, because we know, that the character could perform an unselfish deed, while the reader of the novel has no way of knowing the protagonist true feelings. Did Valmont change for the good!? The book leave that, open-ended. I felt, the closure of 'Cruel Intentions', left, not enough work, for being thought-provoking. Another interesting observation that can be concluded after analyzing the film is the raw language is not as sophisticated as the book. I found the dialogue of the film, to be, shallow and not very memorable. Yet, another problem, with this film is overall, acting. While, Ryan Phillippe, was alright in the role, he was given. Some parts of his performance seem a little too annoying, whinny for my taste. The acting from Sarah Michelle Gellar was a little worst, with her going a little, too cartoony, over the top with being a vileness. Both young performers, couldn't touch, the sublime narcissistic egotism that, Glenn Close & John Malkovich pull off, in the 1988's film. Despite that, I have to say, the supporting cast was a lot better. While, Selma Blair's character, was made into a clueless ditz. She did play the role, well. The same with Reese Witherspoon. She really did, seem like she was the angelic virgin, despite, stealing a vintage car in the end. As for the adult performers, in this film. There were very unremarkable. I totally forgot that actress, Christine Baranski & Louise Fletcher, were in this film. That's how much, they didn't shine. Despite that, I do have to say, the movie was beautiful shot. The escalator scene, toward the end, was very noticeable. Another great thing, about this film, is the beautiful, well-crafted soundtrack. This movie had some of the best musicians of the '90s: 'Placebo, Aimee Mann, Skunk Anansie, Blur, and The Verve' to name, a few. It was nice to listen to. As for the sequels/prequels like 2000's 'Cruel Intentions 2' & 2004's 'Cruel Intentions 3'. They weren't worth checking out. However, the 2016 TV Movie/pilot of television series of the same name, might be worth seeing, if the footage is ever released. Overall: Despite its many flaws, this movie is still worth checking. 'Cruel Intentions' was somewhat seduced at the time.
TonyMontana96
(Originally reviewed: 16/03/2017) An interesting premise, but after the first half, which is admittedly interesting, it boils down to some laughable melodrama and an atrocious conclusion. The acting is actually mostly decent from Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillipe but Reese Wetherspoon who plays the principals daughter is merely passable, and there are some really awful performances from the talentless Selma Blair, who is always on her back these day's or giving out pleasure, but can't be competent enough to show believable emotion to a jock that is secretly a homosexual and sleepwalks through the picture doing nothing worth his hefty pay checks; and yet he's not the only one, and did we really need a small homosexual side story; because it felt very forced, as well as thing's like racism which also features and it's many clichés where the teenage girl forgives the boy and then five minutes later they've broke up again, give me a damn break.The first half is intriguing enough because it had an involving narrative; it did establish character's well, and has some decent dialogue during this period, but it fails to capitalise on its interesting build up and instead opts to turn into a predictable romantic story, with one of the stupidest last twenty or so minutes in recent film history. Luckily the picture has some positives though; there are some sexy moments, including two women locking lips, and the sexual vibe of the picture between some of the characters is effective, and I did like the look of the picture, its shot well and appropriately set.However some of the dialogue later on is laughably bad, there is some unintentionally embarrassing sequences, including Blair jumping on Phillipe and him pushing her off the bed, and a hilariously bad sequence where Tara Reid of American Pie has been duped by Phillipe, and is screaming to her mother on the phone and is constantly screaming loudly; and it didn't come off as it should of; it was just hilarious, which happened one too many times in a picture that should not be this funny. The writing completely suckers the actor's upon its idea to have a confrontation scene that has pretty much, no depth and makes little sense, it results in Phillipe been hit in the legs by a moving car, and then there's the remembering him sequence at the end, and you know the rest, not only is it uninspired and unoriginal, it's borderline ridiculous. The makers never gets its tone right either and never sticks to its sense of humour very well, and it becomes completely joyless for the most part.Roger Kumble's direction may be decent, but his screenplay from just after the hour mark is an unintentional joke, just like his film, and I was hoping to like this film but it's just too melodramatic and laughable and suffers from a second half that is riddled with more clichés than Cameron's Titanic; Cruel Intentions is simply a poor film that could have been a lot better.
