Cruel Intentions (1999)

Cruel Intention is a film about Kathryn Merteuil and Sebastian Valmont, who are two gorgeous, filthy rich, manipulative stepsiblings from Manhattan. Bored of the girls he usually seduces, Sebastian sets his sights on the ultimate challenge - the beautiful, virginal, headmaster's daughter Annette Hargrove. However, Kathryn sees this as a perfect opportunity for a wager, if Sebastian fails to lure Annette to his bed he will have to surrender his priceless vintage Jaguar, though if he wins he will gain the most tempting prize of all - Katheryn.

Overall Review Score

9.5 out of 10

Review

Based on the 1782 novel ‘Les Liaisons dangereuses’ by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, Cruel Intentions is the 1999 romance drama starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Joshua Jackson, and Reese Witherspoon. While the film started life as a low budget, independent film before being picked up by Columbia Pictures; it does not suffer from a convoluted storylines or poor acting. Instead Cruel Intentions has an intense amount of energy and momentum, carefully blending the strong acting talents of the main cast around a very well wrote and enjoyable script. It delivers a sexually charged, slightly comedic, but none-the-less erotic teen drama that has the audience on the edge of their seats wondering how it all will end. As the film progresses the audience can’t help but wonder whether Karthryn Merteuil (Sarah Michelle Gellar) will get her just rewards and be revealed as the master manipulator she is or whether Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Phillippe) and Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon) will ever find true happiness, which makes the film feel immersive and fluid. Overall, Cruel Intentions is a film that can be summed up by its tagline ‘what you can’t have, you can’t resist’. As Sebastian despite growing and changing his ways throughout the film always returns back to the one thing he knows he can’t have but simply can’t avoid wanting. Ultimately, this is an interesting message that hits the audience hard and leaves the breathless towards the end and makes the film a classic that can easily be watched and enjoyed over and over again.

Reviewer 1's score & comments:

Score: 9 out of 10

Comments:

Cruel Intentions is a wickedly sexy tale of seduction and betrayal that featured amazing performances by Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon. For the films, 94-minute run time the audience will be treated to a tantalising tale of love, loss and betrayal as both Kathryn and Sebastian try to outfox each other to win their side of the bet, what is created in the films aftermath is nothing short of cinema magic. Not only do the cast bring outstanding style and substance to their performance but the story is also top rate. I think Cruel Intentions has aged nicely and could still be appreciated now, even though the film was originally released in 1999.

Reviewer 2's score & comments:

Score: 10 out of 10

Comments:

The best way to describe Cruel Intentions is by stating it is a coming of age story with a huge difference. Cruel Intentions is a sexual charged, slightly unnerving, but none the less enjoyable film that packs a lot of momentum and devious attitude. Sarah Michelle Gellar (Kathryn Merteuil), Ryan Phillippe (Sebastian Valmont) and Reese Witherspoon (Annette Hargrove) put only extremely believable performances – mixing both a slightly corrupted innocence with a highly charged, sexually driven bet they manage to fully entertain the audience from start to finish without any major hiccups. Overall, Cruel Intentions is a film that will still resonate with the audience today and is a film worth watching.

#drama #romance #joshuajackson #ryanphillippe #sarahmichellegellar #reesewhitherspoon