Critic’s Rating: 4.2 / 5.0
4.2
The original 1999 Cruel Intentions film was a massive hit. It launched the careers of Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Ryan Phillippe. The cult classic was adapted from the classic novel Dangerous Liaisons.
It featured the complicated love triangle between manipulative step-siblings Kathryn Merteull and Sebastian Valmont when they wager if Sebastian will have sex with the virginal Annette Hargrove.
Hollywood has tried repeatedly to recreate the success of the original film. However, its sequels have failed, and a television adaptation has never been completed until now.
The original film debuted over 25 years ago, and on November 21, Prime Video will release a new and modernized adaptation.
While not every film should be rebooted, this was a fun one. They expanded the characters’ roles and personalities, added family drama, and updated the story.
The new version stars Sarah Catherine Hook as Caroline Merteuil, Zac Burgess as Lucien Belmont, and Savannah Lee Smith as Annie Grover.
Sean Patrick Thomas returns, but this time as Professor Hank Chadwick. Sara Silva plays CeCe Carroway, and Brooke Lena Johnson stars as Beatrice Worth. John Harlan Kim and Kobe Clarke round out the cast as Blaise Powell and Scott Russell.
Let’s discuss why Cruel Intentions is a popular franchise today, how the series became more modern and suggestive, and which characters improved in this version. We’ll also talk about popular Easter eggs from the film that were in the series.
Cruel Intentions Remains A Cult Classic
Teen dramas were popular in the late 1990s, but Cruel Intentions dove into new territory.
Instead of the usual romantic comedy, this teen drama used psychological manipulations and sex to feed an electrifying love triangle.
Phillippe and Gellar paired fantastically as scheming step-siblings, possessing sizzling chemistry that bordered on wrong.
It’s why the tantalizing bet worked so well — if Sebastian slept with Annette (Witherspoon), he would get to sleep with Kathryn, too.
Of course, a pesky little problem occurred when he developed feelings for Annette.
While the original film remains one of my favorites, it only developed the three main characters. Most of the supporting cast were afterthoughts, so a television series allows those characters and their arcs to breathe more.
How Prime Video’s Cruel Intentions Combined Nostalgia and Modern Times
I was initially wary of having the new Cruel Intentions set at Manchester College versus Manchester Prep, but aging the characters allowed them certain liberties.
First, a certain amount of cruelty during sorority and fraternity rush week vibed with the original Cruel Intentions film.
In addition, aging the characters allowed the show to air more suggestive scenes than would have been permitted if the leads were still in high school.
The series opens with a hazing incident that puts all Greek chapters at risk. Caroline suggests that if she gets Annie Grover in her chapter, Delta Phi, they won’t close it.
Thus, a similar bet is made. She needs Lucien’s help, and a mastermind plan has been implemented.
Hook and Burgess’s chemistry sizzled so hot it was frightening at times. Their teasing looks and piercing jabs rivaled Phillippe and Gellar.
Savannah Lee Smith made Annie Grover her own. I had seen Smith on HBO’s Gossip Girl and was curious how she would portray a good girl versus a vixen.
Smith has the impeccable talent to do it all. She was able to play an innocent virgin who desperately wanted to fit in. She’ll go far in her career.
There’s one interesting anachronism to note: While there was more in the way of texting and illicit videos, everyone on this show still learned their gossip from old-fashioned newspapers. Beatrice loved spilling dirt on the Greeks in the top newspapers.
That fits in with the way certain teen dramas lately cover more current topics, whereas 90s teen dramas and movies are often timeless and can be re-watched often.
Prime Video’s Cruel Intentions featured more LGBTQ sex scenes, college protests, and family drama. It meshed with the new Gossip Girl. I liked it way better than it because it fleshed out the character’s motivations and relationships.
It still maintained the original’s fun, entertaining vibe but added some more psychological cruelty to the mix.
How Certain Characters Were Improved in the TV Adaptation of Cruel Intentions
In the film version of Cruel Intentions, the supporting characters and genuine friendships didn’t get much attention. With eight episodes of about 40 minutes, both got fleshed out.
Blaise Powell was forgettable in the original, except for the fact that Joshua Jackson played him.
In this version, Blaise schemes, and you never quite know whose side he’s on. He’s entertaining, and I couldn’t wait to watch his next plan.
He wanted to win two things — a big corporate job and his closeted gay best friend Scott’s heart. Blaise Powell was the type who didn’t give up quickly, especially when he teamed up with Caroline or Beatrice. Those were scary times.
Beatrice Worth wasn’t in the film, but the series needed an antagonist, someone who hated the Greeks, and Brooke Lena Johnson shined in that role. She was intelligent, and she believed in her convictions.
Strong sisterhood also took center stage throughout the series. While Caroline sometimes treated CeCe like an annoying lapdog, similar to how Kathryn referred to Cecile, there was loyalty underneath.
In the film, Kathryn never meets Annette until the end, but Caroline and Annie meet early in the series and become close friends. Sometimes, it’s difficult to tell if Caroline cares about Annie or is merely playing games with Lucien.
The TV Adaptation of Cruel Intentions Added Family Drama
The film version mainly focused on the teens, so adding Laura Benanti as Claudia Merteuil, Caroline’s mom and Lucien’s stepmom was a huge draw.
Benanti also recently starred in HBO’s Gossip Girl, so she knew how to portray a complex mother, but these dynamics were almost incestuous.
Claudia seemed to despise her daughter but adored her stepson and thrived on pitting the two against one another. No wonder they loved to compete.
Claudia wanted in with the Grovers, so that was another reason Caroline and Lucien warmed up to Annie and her mom.
Then there was Congressman Russell. He had no idea his son was gay, a fact Blaise used to his advantage and buttered up his friend’s dad to try and get a job.
Blaise was like a part of the family and another son. These extra parts of the drama added depth to the characters’ storylines.
Which Easter Eggs Were Done the Best in the New Cruel Intentions
As mentioned previously, this reboot was done well. While it now took place at college, there were so many Easter eggs that it still felt like part of the original.
It helped that Sean Patrick Thomas was part of the cast. In the original, he played Ronald, Cecile Caldwell’s (Selma Blair) tutor.
This time, CeCe Carroway (Sara Silva) was Hank Chadwick’s (Thomas) teaching assistant. He was still charming, and he and CeCe had a genuine connection.
It felt wrong to say that since the actors had been apart for over twenty years, they seemed genuine friends who enjoyed being together.
I don’t want to spoil much, but like the movie, someone interferes with their relationship and causes CeCe more heartbreak.
There were so many Easter eggs. Many were teased in the official promo, such as Lucien and Annie fooling around in the pool, similar to the epic pool scene that Sebastian and Annette shared.
The other most memorable Easter egg was the girl-on-girl kiss.
It’s teased in the promo and looks similar to the one between Kathryn (Gellar) and Cecile (Blair). You’ll have to watch to see who kisses in this version.
The other two iconic things in this adaptation are Kathryn’s cross necklace, which she frequently uses, and Lucien’s car, part of the bet again.
Overall, this adaptation worked better than other recent teen reboots. It blended nostalgia with suggestive sex scenes and fleshed out the characters.
It ended on a cliffhanger, so hopefully, we get another season. I’d love another season.
Over to you, TV Fanatics. What did you think of the latest adaptation of Cruel Intentions?
Do you think it’ll be a timeless teen drama?
Let us know in the comments below.
Cruel Intentions debuts on Prime Video on November 21, 2024.
