Cruel Intentions/YMMV
- Alternative Character Interpretation: Did Sebastian ever truly redeem himself? Will Kathryn now that her reputation has crumbled? Has Annette gone the OTHER direction?
- Draco in Leather Pants: Sebastian and Kathryn for quite a good number of viewers. Though some will cheer them on even knowing what evil bastards they are.
- Everybody Remembers the Stripper: There's a lesbian kiss in the first movie. That's what most people know about it.
- There's a lesbian kiss in a shower (between twins, no less) in the prequel. That's all that anyone knows about it.
- Evil Is Cool and Sexy: Kathryn and Sebastian
- Hilarious in Hindsight: Fans of Buffy might be a bit disturbed at seeing the actress play a mega bitch, until we get to the final two seasons.
- Jerkass Woobie: Sebastian becomes this at about the 2/3 point in the movie when he realizes that he does love Annette, and Kathryn may also qualify at the very end of the film.
- Les Yay: Kathryn and Cecile, in a creepy, manipulative way on Kathryn's part. There was also Kathryn and Annette in the original ending, in a creepy, manipulative way on Annette's part.
- Magnificent Bastard: Sebastian and Kathryn try for this, but things fall apart for them both.
- Old Shame: Amy Adams can't feel good about having Cruel Intentions 2 on her resume.
- Playing Against Type: Buffy Summers plays Kathryn.
- ... Unless you knew her as Kendall first, in which case it's returning to type.
- Sequelitis: Both sequels, with the third one being In Name Only sequel. Cruel Intentions 2 though has a dubious distinction of originally being a failed pilot (killed by religious groups, when they found out that the pilot, called "Manchester Prep", featured a scene where a Cecile expy learns about how to orgasm while riding a horse) / stealth reboot set shortly after Sebastian and Kathyrn's parents married and the two becoming allies and featured stand-in characters for Cecile and Annette. When the pilot was ultimately rejected, the film was given a new downer ending (the Annette stand-in turns out to be an evil bitch friend of Kathyrn, designed to break Sebastian and drive him to the dark side) and gratuitous nudity scenes inserted into the film as it was released direct to DVD.
- Tear Jerker: Sebastian's Redemption Equals Death, especially since he dies in Annette's arms.