SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: WONDERLAND

"WONDERLAND"
(2003) (Val Kilmer, Kate Bosworth) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Extreme	Extreme	Extreme	Heavy	Heavy

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	None	Moderate	Minor	Extreme

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Extreme	Extreme	Mild	Moderate	Extreme

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: A legendary porn star is accused of committing a grisly quadruple homicide in a film where various characters tell disparate accounts of the tale.

PLOT:: It's the summer of 1981 and John Holmes (VAL KILMER) is a famous porn star whose career is over. Although still married to his estranged wife, Sharon (LISA KUDROW), he's now seeing young Dawn Schiller (KATE BOSWORTH) and enjoys hanging out with his new drug buddies, Ron (JOSH LUCAS) and Susan Launius (CHRISTINA APPLEGATE), David Lind (DYLAN McDERMOTT) and Billy Deverell (TIM BLAKE NELSON). He's also become friends with Eddie Nash (ERIC BOGOSIAN), a powerful criminal figure.
When a number of people are brutally murdered, the obvious suspect is Holmes due to his involvement with them and Lind's indictment of the man. However, as detectives Sam Nico (TED LEVINE) and Louis Cruz (FRANKY G.) investigate the case, various characters, including Holmes, give disparate accounts of what occurred, thus confounding the truth.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of someone in the well-known cast or are interested in the real story and/or porn star John Holmes, they just might.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For strong violence/grisly images, pervasive drug use and language, some sexuality/nudity.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: VAL KILMER plays the mostly retired porn star who's now become a drug addict and may be involved in a series of multiple murders. He uses profanity, does a lot of drugs, smokes and has sex with Dawn.
LISA KUDROW plays his estranged wife who's tried to get on with her life without him, but is drawn back due to his plea for help.
KATE BOSWORTH plays the young woman who's now seeing Holmes (with whom she has sex). She does drugs and smokes.
DYLAN McDERMOTT plays a druggie who accuses Holmes of the murders. He smokes, does drugs and uses strong profanity.
JOSH LUCAS plays their volatile friend who has a thing for guns, smokes, does a lot of drugs and uses strong profanity.
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE plays his wife who's also in the drug business.
FRANKY G. and TED LEVINE play the detectives investigating the murder and interviewing various suspects.
TIM BLAKE NELSON plays another of Holmes' drug buddies.
ERIC BOGOSIAN plays a powerful criminal who initially befriends Holmes until he feels he's wronged him (when he then becomes vindictive). He does drugs, smokes and uses strong profanity.; LISA KUDROW plays his estranged wife who's tried to get on with her life without him, but is drawn back due to his plea for help.
KATE BOSWORTH plays the young woman who's now seeing Holmes (with whom she has sex). She does drugs and smokes.
DYLAN McDERMOTT plays a druggie who accuses Holmes of the murders. He smokes, does drugs and uses strong profanity.
JOSH LUCAS plays their volatile friend who has a thing for guns, smokes, does a lot of drugs and uses strong profanity.
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE plays his wife who's also in the drug business.
FRANKY G. and TED LEVINE play the detectives investigating the murder and interviewing various suspects.
TIM BLAKE NELSON plays another of Holmes' drug buddies.
ERIC BOGOSIAN plays a powerful criminal who initially befriends Holmes until he feels he's wronged him (when he then becomes vindictive). He does drugs, smokes and uses strong profanity.; KATE BOSWORTH plays the young woman who's now seeing Holmes (with whom she has sex). She does drugs and smokes.
DYLAN McDERMOTT plays a druggie who accuses Holmes of the murders. He smokes, does drugs and uses strong profanity.
JOSH LUCAS plays their volatile friend who has a thing for guns, smokes, does a lot of drugs and uses strong profanity.
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE plays his wife who's also in the drug business.
FRANKY G. and TED LEVINE play the detectives investigating the murder and interviewing various suspects.
TIM BLAKE NELSON plays another of Holmes' drug buddies.
ERIC BOGOSIAN plays a powerful criminal who initially befriends Holmes until he feels he's wronged him (when he then becomes vindictive). He does drugs, smokes and uses strong profanity.; DYLAN McDERMOTT plays a druggie who accuses Holmes of the murders. He smokes, does drugs and uses strong profanity.
JOSH LUCAS plays their volatile friend who has a thing for guns, smokes, does a lot of drugs and uses strong profanity.
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE plays his wife who's also in the drug business.
FRANKY G. and TED LEVINE play the detectives investigating the murder and interviewing various suspects.
TIM BLAKE NELSON plays another of Holmes' drug buddies.
ERIC BOGOSIAN plays a powerful criminal who initially befriends Holmes until he feels he's wronged him (when he then becomes vindictive). He does drugs, smokes and uses strong profanity.; JOSH LUCAS plays their volatile friend who has a thing for guns, smokes, does a lot of drugs and uses strong profanity.
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE plays his wife who's also in the drug business.
FRANKY G. and TED LEVINE play the detectives investigating the murder and interviewing various suspects.
TIM BLAKE NELSON plays another of Holmes' drug buddies.
ERIC BOGOSIAN plays a powerful criminal who initially befriends Holmes until he feels he's wronged him (when he then becomes vindictive). He does drugs, smokes and uses strong profanity.; CHRISTINA APPLEGATE plays his wife who's also in the drug business.
FRANKY G. and TED LEVINE play the detectives investigating the murder and interviewing various suspects.
TIM BLAKE NELSON plays another of Holmes' drug buddies.
ERIC BOGOSIAN plays a powerful criminal who initially befriends Holmes until he feels he's wronged him (when he then becomes vindictive). He does drugs, smokes and uses strong profanity.; FRANKY G. and TED LEVINE play the detectives investigating the murder and interviewing various suspects.
TIM BLAKE NELSON plays another of Holmes' drug buddies.
ERIC BOGOSIAN plays a powerful criminal who initially befriends Holmes until he feels he's wronged him (when he then becomes vindictive). He does drugs, smokes and uses strong profanity.; TIM BLAKE NELSON plays another of Holmes' drug buddies.
ERIC BOGOSIAN plays a powerful criminal who initially befriends Holmes until he feels he's wronged him (when he then becomes vindictive). He does drugs, smokes and uses strong profanity.; ERIC BOGOSIAN plays a powerful criminal who initially befriends Holmes until he feels he's wronged him (when he then becomes vindictive). He does drugs, smokes and uses strong profanity.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 146 "f" words, while many other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Some sexually related dialogue is present, a couple is seen having sex (with movement, sounds and partial nudity), other sex is implied, some making out and groping occurs, and the main character is a former porn star.

Violence consists of some brutal and extremely bloody murders via metal pipe beatings, while some hitting and threatening occurs. Some of those scenes and others may be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes. Many do a great deal of drugs, drink and/or smoke.

Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Dawn asks a person, "Do you have any beer?"
John and Dawn snort coke and then do so again.
Holmes does some drugs along with Dawn.
Holmes returns to Dawn with a six-pack of beer and takes some pills with beer.
Miscellaneous people drink in a bar.
We partially see David shooting up with heroin.
There's talk that a drug operation was run out of Ron and Susan's home.
People drink and do drugs at a party.
A woman snorts coke.
David drinks from a bottle.
Holmes and others do cocaine.
Holmes and Nash smoke drugs.
Ron snorts coke.
We hear that cash, coke, heroin and 'ludes were stolen from Nash's place.
Ron and others celebrate the robbing of Nash's place by drinking.
David does heroin, Holmes smokes drugs and Ron snorts coke.
Holmes and others do more drugs.
Holmes asks a detective friend if he has any coke.
Holmes does some coke.
Ron appears high and strung out and he and Holmes snort coke.
David and others shoot up.
We see a little blood from a person shooting up.
We see more instances of drug use in several scenes.
Dawn drinks from a bottle.
Nash smokes some drugs.
Billy smokes pot while Holmes does lots of coke and more drug use follows.
Holmes snorts more coke.
Some cops have drinks.

BLOOD/GORE: We hear Dawn urinating in a can in a car (that John gave her when she says she has to go).
We see Dawn get up from the toilet.
We see some blood on a phone.
We see some photos of murder victims, some of which are bloody.
We see blood everywhere in the home where the murders occurred (on the walls, floor and furniture, etc.).
We see a little blood from a person shooting up.
Holmes has some blood on his face and shirt.
We see a lot of blood on Holmes's shirt and face, but as Sharon tends to him, she realizes he's not cut anywhere and wonders whose blood is on him (and we see bloody water in the bathtub he's in).
We see a hospitalized woman with a bruised face.
We see stitches on a person.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: The murderer or murderers obviously have extreme cases of bad attitudes.
We see a flashback of David holding a gun to a black person's head and telling him that he's going to "blow you back to Africa."
Holmes sets up Nash's place to be robbed and Ron and others then rob it at gunpoint.
Dawn lies to the cops about what she knows.
The words "nigger," "sand nigger" and "faggot" are used in disparaging ways.
We hear that Holmes's associates ratted him out during the robbery, thus endangering his life.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Scenes listed under "Violence" might also be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers.
We see a flashback of David holding a gun to a man's head. The gun is then knocked aside as it's fired.
We briefly and partially see very harsh and brutal metal pipe attacks on others (we hear more of the graphic sounds than see the actual impact). Later, we more fully see the scene, with quick shots of brutal pipe beatings on people with extremely bloody results (and that resulted in four people being murdered). A person holds a gun on Holmes making him bash a victim repeatedly with a metal pipe.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Handguns/Pipes: Used to threaten (guns) or kills (pipes) people. See "Violence" for details.
We see a still of a man with a handgun in the opening credits.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "Come f*cking get me," "What the f*ck /is wrong with you/is that/were you thinking?" "Pretty f*cking good," "Are you f*cking nuts?" "F*ck you, m*therf*cker," "This is so f*cked up," "Get the f*ck out of here," "Who the f*ck cares?" "Where the f*ck is it?" "What, are you f*cking kidding me?" "That's f*cking great," "F*ck off," "F*cking crazy," "F*ck it," "F*cking bullsh*t," "F*ck you and f*ck your friends," "You f*cking sand nigger," "Shut the f*ck up," "You're f*cking-A right," "F*cking unbelievable," "Sh*thole," "Holy sh*t," "Bullsh*t," "Who gives a sh*t?" "Sh*thead," "I don't give a sh*t," "Piece of sh*t," "Sack of sh*t," "Crock of sh*t," "Full of sh*t," "D*ckheads," "He's d*cking us around," "Sucker," "Shut up," "Scumbag," "China" and "Blow" (cocaine), "We were screwed," "Bitching," "Whore," "Screw that," "Shut your hole," "What, are you a nigger?" "Faggot," "Lying his ass off" and "Balls" (testicles).
David has various tattoos.
Dawn wears a midriff-revealing top.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): A moderate amount of suspenseful music plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): A song has the lyric, "I don't give a damn about my bad reputation."

PROFANITY: At least 146 "f" words (12 used with "mother"), 44 "s" words, 11 slang terms using male genitals ("c*ck," "c*cks*cker" and "d*ck"), 4 asses, 1 damn, 10 uses of "G-damn," 3 of "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "God," "Jesus," "Jesus Christ," "Oh God" and "Swear to God."

SEX/NUDITY: Onscreen text states that the legend about Holmes is that he slept with more than 14,000 women.
A woman shows some cleavage.
John and Dawn passionately kiss in a bathroom (clothed with her legs around him). They start disrobing, we see her in her bra, his pants are partially down (we see part of his bare butt) and they have sex while standing. A woman interrupts them, however, and orders them to leave.
We see some brief and partial views of sex during the opening credits (in head and shoulders shots and with a guy on top of a woman, but nothing explicit is seen).
We see a partial shot of Dawn in her panties that show the side of her bare butt.
A woman puts her hand on a guy's clothed crotch.
We see passionate kissing in bed and then kissing down one's body, but no nudity.
A woman wants to see Holmes' legendary penis, but he's reluctant. As a result, Ron fires a warning shot into the ceiling to make him do so. She then asks if she can touch it, Ron says yes and she does, but we don't see it or the contact.
Ron and his wife passionately make out.
Dawn goes to see Nash (in a robe that opens to show him in small briefs) and he tells her to dance for him. It's implied that they have sex (some cleansing style bathing occurs following that).
There's talk of Holmes measuring himself in the past and finally finding what he wanted to do with his life (star in porno films).
Two men talk about how many women they've slept with.
A young woman shows some cleavage.
Holmes's nickname is "wad" (for his genital size).
As Holmes grabs his own crotch, he says that everybody wants that.
Some passionate kissing occurs.

SMOKING: Holmes, Ron, Dawn, David, Nico, Nash and Billy each smoke a number of times, while Sharon smokes once and various miscellaneous characters smoke.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: We hear that Sharon is Holmes's estranged wife.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: The real life incidents that inspired the movie.
Onscreen text states that the legend about Holmes is that he slept with more than 14,000 women.
The porn business.
Detective work.
Drug use.

VIOLENCE: We see a piece of equipment crashing out through a window (breaking it) and falling to the street below (seen several times from different viewpoints).
We hear that four people were murdered and one wounded.
We see a flashback of David holding a gun to a man's head. The gun is then knocked aside as it's fired.
David smashes things with a chair while angry.
A woman wants to see Holmes' legendary penis, but he's reluctant. As a result, Ron fires a warning shot into the ceiling to make him do so.
Ron jumps on Holmes and holds a gun on him. He then punches him in the gut.
Various men break into Nash's place with guns drawn. Ron hits Nash, others hit others and threatening occurs. Nash is kneed and hit, while David's shot (from above) grazes his intended victim.
A woman is slapped and there's threatening with guns.
Cops burst into a motel room and hold their guns on Holmes.
Holmes grabs and hits Dawn to make her remember to use a fake name with Nash.
David grabs Holmes by the throat.
Nash hits and repeatedly kicks Holmes. One of his henchmen then throws Holmes up against a wall.
A gun is held to a person's head.
We briefly and partially see very harsh and brutal metal pipe attacks on others (we hear more of the graphic sounds than see the actual impact). Later, we more fully see the scene, with quick shots of brutal pipe beatings on people with extremely bloody results (and that resulted in four people being murdered). A person holds a gun on Holmes making him bash a victim repeatedly with a metal pipe.

Reviewed September 26, 2003 / Posted October 17, 2003

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