I think Julia Stiles is a beautiful actress, so I was anxious to pick this movie up when it premiered on video last week. I was hoping it wouldn't be one of those dumb attempts to capitalize on the success of a now-popular star (i.e.: "American Virgin" with Mena Suvari). The movie actually premiered at the Caanes Film Festival in 1998, so I was a little suspicious as to why they pushed the release date (on video).

First of all, I was pleased to find out that Julia WAS the star. The plot is far from original, and works basically on an entertainment level. However, it has an oddly engaging sense of style that keeps you interested. There are ways to take a formulaic plot, and transform it into something unique and fun--"Wicked" is a fine example. The camera angles, the lighting, the creepy undertones (i.e.: incest) of a seemingly pleasant suburban community, the pacing and subtle comic relief beneath all the tension make this worth watching. This is like the work of a first-time independent filmmaker--and I don't mean that in a bad way.

It's also worthy of seeing the beautiful Julia in a good, early performance. This may not be a masterpiece or even a guilty pleasure worthy of several viewings, but it's a good movie and a good rental.

My score: 7 (out of 10)

I stumbled on this on cable, expecting very little -- and was I ever surprised! The young female lead was spectacular, and all the main actors did fine, fine work, even the youngest child. This film deserves a much wider audience.

My only explanation for the extremely low ratings is the subject matter. The shadow of incest is off-putting to a lot of people, and I suspect many viewers just cannot enjoy a film where the subject matter makes them very uncomfortable. This is not a wimpy film with the predictable moral messages, but a very gutsy, finely-crafted piece of work that keeps you on the edge straight through.

This is a refreshingly different and exciting film that is miles beyond the usual Hollywood rot, and it manages to convey a steamy, dangerous eroticism without nudity or simulated-sex scenes. It takes a real director and some real actors to pull this off. And they didn't have to resort to car chases or gunfights, either.

Julia Stiles was the main draw for me to see this film, which genuinely lives up to its title (and then some). WICKED is a sneaky little twist on the let-me-be-your-wife-and-I-will-love-you-better-than-mom-ever-did genre, with great performances and excellently fleshed-out (NO pun intended) characters. Highly recommended for that late-night cable guilty pleasure.