Cruel IntentionsMovie Reviews

Gifts + Promos

Fandango Gift Card

Give the gift of movies with Fandango Bucks Gift Certificates! Design your own gift card, or choose from our collection.

Avengers Gift Cards

Superhero fans! Don’t miss out on these Limited Edition Avengers gift cards!

So-so
Avg. Critic Score: 56 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
16 Iffy for 16+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 90
    Washington Post | Desson Thomson

    A witty, raunchy comedy, which proves that a well-written piece of business – oozing with sex, wit and nasty intrigue – works for any generation. Read full review

  • 80
    Variety | Emanuel Levy

    Nasty, profane and wickedly entertaining for the most part. Read full review

  • 80
    Salon.com | Charles Taylor

    The dirtiest-minded American movie in recent memory -- and an honestly corrupt entertaining picture is never anything to sneeze at. Read full review

  • 80
    Washington Post | Stephen Hunter

    The original was about social manipulation as blood sport. Amazing how easily it transports, themes intact, to our blighted decade, and to our children. Read full review

  • 75
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    It crash-lands with an ending of soppy moralizing, but until the end, it's smart and merciless in the tradition of the original story. Read full review

  • 67
    Entertainment Weekly | Lisa Schwarzbaum

    Never shocks or even offends by ascribing fully adult cruelties and erotic activities to obnoxious kids; such harshness wouldn't flatter a cast this moussed and magazine-layout-ready. Read full review

  • 50
    San Francisco Chronicle | Bob Graham

    It is maliciously entertaining, up to a point. Read full review

  • 50
    The New York Times | Stephen Holden

    You have the queasy sense that the whole thing is just an elaborate stunt, and in this case an exploitative one. Read full review

  • 30
    Austin Chronicle | Marc Savlov

    It works only sporadically, and more as a comic outing than as a vicious battle of sexual predation. Read full review

  • 20
    Rolling Stone | Peter Travers

    It's not the trite talk that sends Cruel Intentions into a tailspin, it's the lightweight casting. Read full review


Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says Iffy for 16+ Dangerous Liaisons among rich NYC teens.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this film contains quite a lot of sex, most of it not shown explicitly, but all of it highly suggestive. There is liberal use of the usual four-letter words, and many examples of manipulative and cruel behavior. This movie is not recommended for kids under 17.
  • Families can talk about why the characters behave the way they do –- why is Kathryn so cruel? Why is Sebastian so unconcerned about the feelings of the women he takes advantage of? Is their social status a factor? What about their parents? There are also questions about the film's resolution –- is Sebastian sincere in what he tells Annette? Is what Annette does justified?
The good stuff
  • message true0 Positive messages: Many examples of manipulative and cruel behavior.
What to watch for
  • violence false0 Violence: Not an issue
  • sex false5 Sex: There is one explicit sex scene, several highly suggestive ones, and a scene in which two girls kiss each other.
  • language false5 Language: Very strong language.
  • consumerism false0 Consumerism: Not an issue
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3 Drinking, drugs and smoking: One character takes cocaine, several drink alcohol, one to drunkenness.

Cruel Intentions Movie Ratings + Reviews

Fans say

Go 33 fan reviews

Critics say

So-so See all critic reviews

Cruel Intentions Featured Trailers + Video Clips

Facebook Movie Fans