Netflix Is Streaming A '90s Neve Campbell Thriller That Spawned An Awful Franchise

From the family drama series "Party of Five" to the teen-centric films "The Craft" and "Scream," the '90s belonged to Neve Campbell. However, there's a steamy thriller that she appeared in toward the end of the decade that doesn't often receive the plaudits it deserves: "Wild Things." The 1998 film is available on Netflix for all those who haven't seen it (or simply want to rewatch it after all these years).

Directed by John McNaughton from a script written by Stephen Peters, "Wild Things" is full of twists and turns. It follows guidance counselor and known womanizer Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillon), who is accused of assault by two students, Kelly Van Ryan (Denise Richards) and Suzie Toller (Campbell). As the case goes to court, it begins to unravel. It becomes apparent that something isn't right, encouraging investigating officer, Ray Duquette (Kevin Bacon), to look into the parties involved.

Due to the story's zigzags, as well as the hot and heavy undertones, "Wild Things" has been compared to "Cruel Intentions," another spicy thriller from the late-90s. "Cruel Intentions" is better known, but "Wild Things" actually has a superior score on Rotten Tomatoes. Granted, neither film received universal acclaim, but if you're into old school thrillers packed with rug-pull plot twists, you should definitely check out "Wild Things" on Netflix.

"Wild Things" works because of the unpredictability of the story, which contains many twists and turns that no one sees coming until they happen. Everyone is about as trustworthy as a dog in a butcher shop, but that's what makes it such a trip to watch. For some inexplicable reason, a decision was made to expand "Wild Things" with not one, but three standalone sequels: 2004's "Wild Things 2," 2005's "Wild Things: Diamonds in the Rough," and 2010's "Wild Things: Foursome." None of the main cast from the 1998 movie returned, as the likes of Neve Campbell went on to make other films and TV shows.

These unnecessary sequels were doomed from the start, because anyone familiar with the original film would be understandably suspicious from the get-go. This translates into an immediate disconnect between the viewer and the characters, as the audience expects several betrayals to take place. In addition to this, the stories just weren't that good and felt telegraphed from a mile away, despite their attempted spins on the original premise. To the surprise of no one, the sequels received abysmal reviews — and rightfully so. Just stick to watching "Wild Things" on Netflix and skip everything thereafter.