Wild Things

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Wild Things

R

1998

1h 47m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

65%

Tomatometer

120 Reviews

54%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

When teen debutante Kelly (Denise Richards) fails to attract the attention of her hunky guidance counselor, Sam (Matt Dillon), she cries rape, igniting a scandal that results in his arrest. Sam appeals to Ken (Bill Murray), a hack personal-injury lawyer who has never handled a case that couldn't be helped by a prop neck brace. Soon, a second victim, Suzie (Neve Campbell), comes forward, and Detective Duquette (Kevin Bacon) discovers that the unfolding case is far from what it seems.

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Critics Consensus

Wild Things is a delightfully salacious, flesh-exposed romp that also requires a high degree of love for trash cinema.

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Stephanie Zacharek

TIME Magazine

08/01/2024

...steamy, tawdry, gloriously over-the-top...

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Richard Roeper

Chicago Sun-Times

06/09/2023

McNaughton and cinematographer Jeffrey L. Kimball frequently cut to glimpses of alligators lurking in the Florida swamps, echoing the predatory nature of virtually every main character.

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Duane Byrge

The Hollywood Reporter

02/02/2023

Director John McNaughton's grip is a bawdy mix of suspense, sex and silliness, all served up with a huge tongue sticking in his cheek. It's a foamy mix, topped off by highly charged performances.

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Nicholas Bell

Fish Jelly Films (YouTube)

07/27/2023

3.5/5

A potboiler on class woes, Wild Things is the dark fruit at the end of a neo-noir era in the 1990s, where softcore sensibilities were an acceptable selling point and adult themes embraced.

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Noah Berlatsky

Splice Today

03/28/2023

Older noirs often present that failure of hierarchy as a crisis. But in Wild Things, it’s exhilarating.

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Trace Thurman

Bloody Disgusting

03/21/2023

4.5/5

Lurid, trashy, and shockingly intelligent, Wild Things will surprise you like few films can.

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BJ M

@HotMovieStar 2d

Unsophisticated. The plot twists are so frequent that it loses credibility. With Denise Richards you could at least expect some good sex scenes and nudity which it lacked. The film could be rated PG.

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Chris S

@Janomi Jun 28

Wild Things is one of those thrillers that's at its best when it keeps pulling the rug out from under you. The screenplay never settles for a single twist, continually revealing new layers of deception that force you to rethink everything you've just watched. Even when you think you've figured it out, the story usually has another surprise waiting. The cast fully embraces the movie's over-the-top tone. Kevin Bacon is especially entertaining as Detective Ray Duquette, bringing just the right mix of confidence and ambiguity, while Bill Murray's dry humor adds a welcome change of pace. Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, and Denise Richards all understand exactly what kind of movie they're in. Eventually, the twists become so elaborate that they stretch credibility, and several characters feel more like pieces in a puzzle than fully developed people. Still, if you're willing to enjoy the ride, Wild Things is an entertaining throwback to the stylish erotic thrillers of the '90s.

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Lydia B.

@lydiab6767 May 20

Good plot and storyline. Sick people that will do anything for money. The mystery itself was decent. Good acting for the most part. Watch three clips at the end which explains things.

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2muchtwowatch D

@RT03729266 Apr 4

Make sure you watch the credits. 3 clips that complete the movie story. I don’t understand why the low ratings. I was pleasantly surprised. I took a chance after seeing Roger Ebert site gave it 3/4.

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Mickey B.

@Mickerdoo Apr 4

An easily enjoyable film. But ultimately, I think it tries to do too much at the expense of having truly smart or rewarding switchbacks.

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salvationDANCE T

@DanceHH81 Apr 3

first time I watched it, I was way to young to get even the style of this movie..but now, I really like it!! ist a good on for age 35+ I guess ;)

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John McNaughton

Director

Kevin Bacon

Sgt. Ray Duquette

Matt Dillon

Sam Lombardo

Neve Campbell

Suzie Marie Toller

Theresa Russell

Sandra Van Ryan

Denise Richards

Kelly Lanier Van Ryan

Wild Things: Official Clip - Good Guess!

2:12

Wild Things: Official Clip - First Rule of Sailing

2:11

Wild Things: Official Clip - Three's a Crowd

2:13

Wild Things: Official Clip - Discussing the Case

1:46

Wild Things: Official Clip - I Was Raped

1:19

Wild Things: Official Clip - Seducing Lombardo

2:05

Wild Things: Official Clip - The Pool Scene

1:59

Wild Things: Official Clip - Peeping in People's Windows

2:12

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Synopsis

When teen debutante Kelly (Denise Richards) fails to attract the attention of her hunky guidance counselor, Sam (Matt Dillon), she cries rape, igniting a scandal that results in his arrest. Sam appeals to Ken (Bill Murray), a hack personal-injury lawyer who has never handled a case that couldn't be helped by a prop neck brace. Soon, a second victim, Suzie (Neve Campbell), comes forward, and Detective Duquette (Kevin Bacon) discovers that the unfolding case is far from what it seems.

Director: John McNaughton
Producer: Steven A. Jones, Rodney Liber
Screenwriter: Stephen Peters
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Mandalay Pictures
Rating: R (Nudity|Language|Some Violence|Strong Sexuality)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 20, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $29.8M
Runtime: 1h 47m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, SDDS, Surround, Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)