Throwing Curves

In “Wild Things,” two high-school seniors (Denise Richards and Neve Campbell) from opposite sides of the tracks accuse a handsome teacher (Matt Dillon) of rape, igniting a mysterious series of alliances, betrayals and murder in a tightknit Florida town. (Rated R)

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If there’s not enough soft-core groping, bosomy 18-year-olds in tight shorts or murky sex crimes on “Dawson’s Creek” or the evening news, there’s always “Wild Things” at the multiplex.

A tarted-up meeting of “Scream” and “Body Heat,” the film takes viewers on a twisted, mysterious trip through teen/teacher sex, bisexual sex and three-way sex, with a few soap-opera stops along the way for a mother/daughter rivalry for the same man.

Aimed more at exploiting teens than entertaining them, the movie seemed targeted for older people but still drew a predictable number of high schoolers looking for a revealing peek at Campbell, the popular star of “Scream” and TV’s “‘Party of Five,” and Richards, the Barbie look-alike last seen in “Starship Troopers.”

On this particular day, no one questioned their buying tickets or entering the R-rated movie, technically restricted for those under 17 unless accompanied by an adult.

For the boys, however, there was also a price to pay for all this freedom: an inescapable viewing of Kevin Bacon, who portrays detective Ray Duquette in his own full--but fleeting--monty.

“That was very inappropriate,” said Justin Butcher, 16, of Irvine. “They shouldn’t have nude guys.”

Otherwise, Justin and his friends John Lin, John Park and Taz Kobe all gave the movie a grade of A without reservation.

Mostly, they claimed, the high grade was for the plot, a thick and complex story of greed and double-crosses. “The plot was good,” Justin said. “It made you think.”

It’s clear from the array of shifting eyes at the outset that nothing is what it seems in this small, steamy town. Rich girl Kelly Van Ryan (Richards), daughter of the town’s alcoholic and slutty power maven, flirts with guidance counselor Sam Lombardo (Dillon), then accuses him of rape. When low-life Suzie Toller (Campbell) makes a second charge, Lombardo, a Don Juan attracted to money, seems ruined for life.

At first it doesn’t appear that Ken Bowden (Bill Murray), the only lawyer Lombardo can afford, will be able to save him, much less win a judgment for libel. And that’s only the beginning.

Justin said the plot offers one surprise after another. “You think one killer’s going to be somebody and then you find out it’s not them, and then you think somebody’s dead and they’re not really dead. It was like a ‘Scream’ kind of movie.”

No one among the boys guessed the surprise ending. “It was fun overall,” said Taz, 16.

Some of the boys said their parents knew they were coming to the show; some said they would have been uncomfortable sitting next to their folks even if they had accompanied them as required.

One who came with his dad said he was disappointed.

“I thought it was OK,” said 14-year-old Jim Decraene of Laguna Hills. “It was a little boring.”

Based on the description given to them at the box office, Jim said he was expecting “‘more action and less sex.” He gave the movie a C.

“He likes blood and guts,” explained his father, Robert, of Duarte.

To Jim, some of the scenes pushed the envelope even for an R rating. “It’s pornography,” he said.

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PARENTS’ PERSPECTIVE: All things considered, Robert Decraene said the movie isn’t appropriate for kids because of the poor role models presented by young people engaged in sex and violence.

But even though they felt misled into choosing “Wild Things,” Decraene said, “He’s old enough to see that stuff. I’d rather have him see it with a parent than with his friends.”