Synopsis
Susan Ward, presumably cast because she’s a dead ringer for Denise Richards, is a sad littlerich girl at one of those beachfront high schools populated, to judge from the evidence on hand,by porn stars. In between slow-motion beach volleyball games, her life seems to be falling apart.Her mother died years go in the Louisiana swamp. Her rich stepfather is first threatened by agangster, and is then killed in a plane crash. Not only is Ward’s inheritance pitiful, but queenbitc… butch Leila Arcieri steps forward claiming to be the illegitimate daughter of the stepfather,and so is entitled to the $70 million fortune. Insurance investigator Isaiah Washington arriveson the scene, smelling a rat.
Of course (yawn), nothing is as it seems. And nothing is as it seems, in exactly the way youthink it is. One’s finger itches for the fast-forward button as one noir cliché after another istrotted out, and an endless parade of cleavage shots unspools before one’s glazed eyes. The steamfactor (sex being the reason behind this feature, after all) is decidedly tepid, and the sex scenesfeature the most hilariously obvious body doubling I’ve seen in a good long while.
Audio
The sound, at least, is good and lively. Even during as the studio logos are appearing on-screen, the insect calls of the swamp emerge from all speakers. The sound level quickly ratchetsup, blaring away with the music and motor boat or car engines. The placement of the sound ispretty good, but the surround effects sometimes go overboard, with huge blasts coming from therear speakers when the source of the effect on-screen indicates the sound should in fact becoming from the front speakers. The scene where the plane goes down is a particularly egregiousexample. Still, all that sound coming from all sides is pretty fun.
Video
How are the flesh tones, you ask, getting right to the heart of the matter. Just fine, I answer.The rest of the colours are good too — bright without being pushed too far, with excellent blacksand contrasts (the night scenes aren’t murky at all). The image is very sharp too, and there is nograin or edge enhancement. An excellent 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, in other words.The video is the best thing about this disc.
Special Features
Nothing much here. Apart from trailers for the feature and similar “erotic thrillers”(including the higher end In the Cut), there is a 22-minute making of featurette. “Makingthe Glades” is a pretty typical promotional offering. The menu is basic.
Closing Thoughts
What do you get when you make a sequel to a mediocre film that has no connection otherthan hot-to-trot scheming high school seniors? Boredom.
Special Features List
- “Making the Glades” Featurette
- Trailers
