Page 8 - The Behrend College Collegian - Thursda%, April 2, /99S Wild Things falls short of expectations by Jon Stubbs leatUrev editor The critics have claimed that John McNaughton's Wild Things is "smart and sexy." Sexy, indeed (it's border line porno), but "smart" may he a stretch . Matt Dillon stars as Sam Lombardo, the hunky guidance coun selor at Blue Bay High School, Florida. Kelly Van Ryan ( Denise Richards), is a seductive senior at Blue Bay who obviously has the hots for Lombardo and flirts with him con stantly. After washing his car at his house for a school fundraiser she slips into Sam's house to dry off and comes out claiming that Lombardo raped her. Sam Lombardo now becomes the enemy of tne town anti ne is taken to trial. When another student at Blue Bay, Suite Toiler (Neve Campbell) tells Detective Ray Duquette (Kevin Bacon) that she was also raped by Lombardo, Sam's problems become worse. However, in court she con fesses that the whole thing was just a scam by Kelly to frame Lombardo because he wasn't interested in her. Sam is awarded $8 million in dam- ACROSS 1 Kisser 5 Blind element 9 Carries 14 Fencer's stiletto 15 Woodland way 16 In plain view 17 Rhymer i 8 Prevaricator 19 Come together 20 Stick-to-it- iveness 22 T. Garr movie 23 Faux _ (social blunder) 24 Eagle's nest 26 Hot herbal quaff 29 Wedge-shaped piece of wood 31 Glorifies 35 Eurasian primrose 37 Niger's neighbor 39 Spiritual advisor 40 Let's go, Dobbin 42 Enraged 44 Shelterward 45 Invitation letters 47 Zones 48 Lady of Spain 50 Makes a choice 52 Farm enclosure 53 Holy smoke! 55 "_ -Haw" 57 Hooded snake 60 Listen at keyholes 65 In front 66 Wage-slave's refrain 67 Target 68 " Vice" 69 Dishonorable man ROLLA ages, and everything seem, to be re solved. The only problem is that all of this is over within the first hour of the film. Pie next forty minutes of the movie seem to drag on tore er The plot does thicken and new: deNelopments un bild, hut none that are not predictable. The movie is excruciatingly boring until the last few scenes where numer- The movie is excruciat ingly boring until the last few scenes where numer ous plot twists and sur prises pop up. ous plot twists and surprises pop up. The slow middle part and the rapid pace of the end of the film contrast each other and annoy the viewer. Director John McNaughton confesses that he doesn't like most thrillers he sees: "I read the first five pages of the script, and I can already predict what will happen on the last two pages. 1998 Tnbune Media Services, Inc All nghts reserved. 70 Continental prefix 71 Marshal's men 72 Small whirlpool 73 Take five DOWN 1 Le Pew of cartoons 2 Current 3 Potential plant 4 Preliminary work 5 Watery impact 6 Put down With Wad Things, I read about thirty pages. and when I got to the end, I had no idea what was going to hap pen." This is true, but pages 30-60 of the screenplay needed some doctor ing to make the middle of the film more interesting. If this had been done, Wild Things would have been much more enjoyable. Other things that took away from the film were Matt Dillon's horrible acting and screenwriter Stephen Pe ters' poorly written dialogue. The dia logue seems to rob the film of any possible character development. Phrases like "Why don't you say that to may face!?" are just boring and cli ched. They lack originality and are me prouucts or careless screenwnting. Wild Things could have been a very exciting thriller if the film's pace was kept constant, a better actor was hired for the role of Sam Lombardo, and if better dialogue and character devel opment took place. These subtle nais takes made the film mediocre instead of the highly entertaining and success ful film it could have been. 7 Chilean desert 8 Minimum crowd 9 Western star 10 Too willing 11 Period in office 12 Cogito sum 13 Junior branch? 21 Gravelly 25 Hold your horses 26 Forum garb 27 Imposed absence 28 Longfellow character Features 30 Little devils 32 Entices 33 Foot the bill 34 Full of lather 36 Pictorial characters 38 Reindeer herdsman 41 Caspian feeder 43 Argon and rador 46 Sailed across 49 Rock-tour '~~~i. ~;~: e THERE ARE A FEW SPECIAL THINGS THAT WE CAN REALLY COUNT ON TO HELP US ACCOMPLISH ALL THAT k - WENEEDTO DO. RELIABLE, DEPENDABLETHINGS LIKE THE TOYOTA COROLLA. OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS, ~.. COROLLA HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST TRUSTED CARS IN THE WORLD. AND NOW IT'S ALL-NEW: WITH MORE PASSENGER AND TRUNK ROOM, AN ALL-NEW ALUMINUM ENGINE THAT'S ONLY MORE POWERFUL, t re IT'S MORE ECONOMICAL UP TO 38 MILES PER GALLON HIGHWAY. COROLLA IS SAFER AND 4 QUIETER, AND BEST °FALL, IT STARTS \kik_ AT A PRICE LOWER THAN LAST YEAR. MORE CAR LESS 1 " , - MONEY. WHAT A REFRESHING ' ‘ CHANGE! Detective Ray Duquette (Kevin Bacon) questions Blue Bay society seductress Kelly Van Ryan (Denise Richards). Sexy Blue Bay High guidance couselor Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillon) and Blue Bay outsider Suzie Toiler (Neve Campbell) make unlikely conspirators in Wild Things. photo by Andrea Zaffino A student shooting pool in the Reed Building's Back Room. Story in next week's Features. IMEE TOYOTA vc- v - Li cl aii photo courtesy of Columbia Tri Star photo courtesy of Columbia Th Star
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