Cruel Intentions

All of the characters in the movie are fabulously wealthy, but more than a few are deficient when it comes to matters of the heart. People who enjoy eye candy will enjoy some of the sets of this movie - particularly the lavish indoor swimming pool @ the cottage.

Sebastian and Kathryn make a bet: can the suave playboy score on Annette? This, along with a web of insidious sub-plots form the core of the movie's plot. In each and every case, Kathryn and Sebastion outwit everyone else in the film in order to manipulate circumstances into their favor. Occasionally, they even dupe each other.

Over the course of the film, however, Sebastian's character begins to change, albeit slightly. Meanwhile, Kathryn remains the cold-hearted and sadistic wench she always was. It is a credit to the acting ability of Phillippe that the change in character becomes apparent and we're actually compelled to care for him by the end of the film.

To answer the $60,000 question on whether a sweet innocent girl can have a significant impact on a life-long playboy, watch the film. However, be prepared for one of the darkest comedies you will ever see. It's downright cruel - intentionally so.


This is one of my favorite movies in the entire world   September 26, 1999
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

Don't ask any questions. Just buy this movie. It is one of the most entertaining, wickedly funny black comedies in film history. It's very dark, hilarious, and may even offend some people. But that is part of its magic. It challenges the viewer, but make no mistake about it: It is a great deal of fun...and evil. Sarah Michelle Gellar plays a role so different than "Buffy" you won't believe it's her. She is a villainous, bulemic, coke-snorting bitch. You'll love to hate her. Selma Blair is adorable as the nerd who becomes the target of Gellar's wrath. Ryan Phillipe is dead-on as Gellar's stepbrother who wants more than anything on earth to bed her. And Reese Witherspoon is amazing as a young virgin who Phillipe bets Gellar that he can seduce. A vicious story full of backstabbing and...cruel intentions, but at the same time has a very sweet side. The ending is shocking, completely unpredictable, with a twisted sense of humor that lasts all the way even to the end. The directing is perfect and even more the soundtrack is amazing. Buy this album. From the opening song Every You and Every Me to Bittersweet Symphony, it sets the tone for the movie perfectly. Also, this DVD is great. Even though the menu is kind of boring, it has some great extras, including music videos and documentaries which really give a great deal of insight to the making of this most unusual film. Also, the extra scenes, unlike some other DVDs which are kind of stupid, actually add to the film and make you wonder how it would have affected the film's ending differently if they were left in. You'll be shocked, but some of these scenes may have drastically changed the film and even the character development. This is one of the very best movies ever made and it is my favorite. Don't walk...run to buy this movie and watch it over and over and over and over and over and...over....over.....


naughty, naughty, naughty   June 27, 2007
 12 out of 14 found this review helpful

Sarah Michelle Gellar playing the bad guy.....yummy. So used to her as the heroin and now to see her portray a sizzling and seductive character. In my eyes, she can do no wrong. And now, this tantalizing twisted flick hits the high-def arena, I jumped to see Gellar in all her glory. Sony's recent blu-ray releases are blessed with all the bells and whistles and spares no expense in providing them on dual-layer disks. The picture looks fabulous and included an uncompressed 5.1 PCM track to my listening pleasure. All I can say is, sit back and enjoy the ride.


Cruel to Not Own "Cruel Intentions!"   May 3, 1999
 14 out of 18 found this review helpful

"Cruel Intentions"-early 1999's hit movie now on DVD is truly remarkable. The movie stars many popular celebreties: Sarah Michelle Gellar (TV's Buffy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scream 2), Reese Witherspoon (Man in the Moon, Election, Fear, Freeway), and Ryan Phillippe (I Know What You Did Last Summer). Sarah Michelle Gellar may be your hero slayer on Buffy, but in Cruel Intentions, she makes a bet with her step-brother to become the "hero" in her own personal game using many techniques: love, deception, attraction, mind games, and of course, "Cruelity". The rich, step-sibblings are bored in life and have played mind-games just for fun. Again, they try, but this time the word "love" becomes a pawn in the game. Cruel Intentions also has an excellent soundtrack with newcoming bands and popular bands. The Verve's smash hit (one of the most played videos in 1997), "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is included in this soundtrack. Some bands are also in the movie but not on the soundtrack, such as The Cardigans, with their hit "Love Fool". All the music fits the scenes perfectly. The ending is the best ending in a movie that I ever saw in my life! I can't give that away, sorry for being "Cruel"! So Don't be cruel to your loved one, family, and/or friend, and bring "Cruel Intentions" and the soundtrack, (also availaible here at amazon.com) into your video and mucic collection now! If any of the stars in this movie are reading this, Keep Up The Excellent Work Like This Masterpiece!


An extremely entertaining movie   September 25, 1999
 6 out of 7 found this review helpful

A thrilling modern adaptation of the 18th century novel by Choderlos de Laclos, Cruel Intentions is one of the best movies I've seen recently. The acting in this movie is great and the sets are spectacularly done. This version adds extra humor as well as several different plot twists to the standard "Dangerous Liasons" plot to treat viewers to a devilishly entertaining movie. Reese Witherspoon does a great job with her role as the target of seduction and her new husband Ryan Phillipe is excellent as Valmont. Sarah Michelle Gellar also adds a wickedly entertaining performance as the provocative evil step sister. The visuals and especially music in this movie are good and the entire production is very well done. Overall this movie is one of the best I've seen recently and is more thought provoking than almost all the other "teen movies" around. Great Movie.- Matt "MaTT6699@aol.com"