Wilding

My review was written in June 1991 after watching the movie on AIP video cassette.

Subject of random teen violence is given the low-road exploitation treatment in "Wilding", a trivial video release.

Filmmaker Eric Louzil updates the '50s wild-teens genre with sex and violence in this unconvincing depiction of kids from good homes going bad.

Pic is set against the backdrop of the famous April 1989 Central Park jogger incident, but action takes place in Los Angeles where teens led by good guy Steven Cooke and bad apple Derek Annunciation segue from terrorizing folks to thrill killing.

Cooke's parents cornily enlist older brother Chris McLeod to try to turn Cooke's life around. As in countless previous films, kids complain about their elders while amorally causing mayhem.

Wings Hauser is typecast as a hot-headed cop, and Joey Travolta has a nothing part as his more level-headed partner. Pic provides no insight into the alarming social problem and has a fake concluding scene.

Production values featuring Yuma, Arizona locations are routine.