bunnyharvestman

2/10

Take out all the nudity and I goddamn guarantee the ratings for this pile of long-winded crap would drop considerably. If you want to see people having sex with a terrible plot line (or no plot at all), just watch actual porn instead. They were all quite unlikable characters. [spoiler]Hell, the guy you’re supposed to be rooting for is a rapist and that’s shown as if it’s no biggie.[/spoiler] I’d say its overall high ratings and popularity despite its lack of a good story is definitely at least in part due to being, “a product of its time,” because it was essentially a way to watch a soft-core porn without going to the curtained section of the video store. Basically, nobody heard about this and then rented it from their local Blockbuster based on their interest in the plot alone. I gave the movie, _Magic Mike_, a rating of a 1, for reference. Sure, the gyrating male form was fun to see at times, but it was overall a big bore. That to say, my criticism here isn't just about an insecure woman losing her mind over men enjoying female titillation. I admittedly am an insecure woman, but I can and do very much enjoy erotic thrillers from time to time. This just ain't it. They worked so hard on the "thrills" that they forgot to put in the "thrill" past all the skin screen time. I strongly feel that if all those scenes were implied rather than so explicitly shown, the majority would likely recognize this for the absurd bore of a film that it really is. Perhaps some of the hype is merely nostalgia as well? I didn’t watch this back in the day at the height of its popularity, as I’ve read so many who gush about it did. I’m so very grateful to have found so many other comments/reviews (mostly on IMDb, not here) that reflect my own feelings. It's nice not to feel alone!

bäversvans

7/10

It's a weird mix of genres and overacting and old tropes but also radical and bending stereotypes of the time, subtly satirising itself while also diving head on in. The erotica bits have not aged very well, the hard-boiled police movie parts even worse, but the mystery and suspense and noir are good game. The entire first act is like a big Trojan horse of the most annoying of 90s cop movies. Bosses, rules and internal affairs are bad, mmkay. Second act it feels like "yeah I got you bitches, now it's time for the real movie to begin". Unfortunately it doesn't quite hold up and what was radical in the early 90s becomes dated and stereotypical and even moralistic thirty years later. It's almost hard to imagine that the sex scenes were rough and provocative at the time, as they are stagy and even bordering to silly today. All in all it's really bouncing around, in genres and in the whodunnit narrative. While mostly entertaining throughout the runtime, by the end I'm feeling that I already had enough of it already. It sorta makes sense that Verhoeven would move on to Show Girls after this. Drugs and sexy dancing that looks like workout routines and all. But I don't really buy that neither of these mentioned would be more clever than what tickled his nose by the era of production.

talisencrw

0/10

Controversy aside, in regards both to Sharon Stone's quintessentially-provocative noirish femme fatale (talk about a queen bee or alpha female!) and the backlash that the film portrayed lesbians as crazed psychos, Verhoeven both played a striking tribute to Sir Alfred Hitchcock, particularly San Francisco's based Vertigo and in use of the blonde bombshell, and simply continued his style of storytelling that had become his trademark in his pre-Hollywood, formative days in the Netherlands. Though it's not mentioned in the interviews of either star or director, the wonderful car chase brought to mind that 'other' car chase Frisco Bay movie, 'Bullitt'. But given the remarkable landscape of the area, why not? One would be a fool not to push the stylistic envelope as far as the censors will allow. A film that would have made The Master of Suspense proud, methinks, and one that he himself perhaps would have done, had Joe Eszterhas' very fun script been around, during, say, the time of 'Frenzy', when Hitchcock was at his cheekiest. A fantastic date movie too, by the way...

beardedmovienut

10/10

First… Can we take a moment to appreciate how incredibly sexy Sharon Stone was back in the early and mid-nineties?!!!? I mean, the way she moves, the way she talks, and of course, the way she looks… Just incredible!! Now... Basic Instinct. I had forgotten how good the tension building is in this movie. It borders on perfect. The music, the acting, the cinematography… Everything works together to create tension that just builds and builds throughout the movie until it…pops(?!?). Verhoeven is the absolute master of the “horny” filmmaking, and in Basic Instinct everything is horny. Even the freaking cars oozes sex. In most movies it gets tiresome after a while, but in this one it works very well. However, the best aspect of Basic Instinct is the fact that it shows how dumb we men can be when we get strung along by our d... well...you know what I mean. The way Douglas THINKS he's playing a game, when he's in fact doing everything his “adversary” has planned all along, is very well done by both Verhoeven and the writer, Joe Eszterhas. There are so many incredible scenes in Basic Instinct, but the opening, the club, and, of course, the interrogation are the ones that really stand out. Especially now when you can get the movie in 4K. This is actually the first time I have seen this movie in over 20 years, and it was all brought on because I got my hands on the 4k release by StudioCanal. Great release with tons of extras. Well worth the price. ...and yes...in case you didn't suspect it by now. I really like Basic Instinct!!

John Chard

0/10

I'd have to be pretty stupid to write a book about killing and then kill him the way I described in my book. I'd be announcing myself as the killer. I'm not stupid. Basic Instinct is directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhaz. It stars Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Denis Arndt and Leilani Sarelle. Music is scored by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by Jan de Bont. Nick Curran (Douglas) of the SFPD is strung out and under investigation by Internal Affairs, last thing he needs is to be drawn into a dangerous relationship with a sex crazed blonde who may be a murderess... Time hasn't been kind to Verhoeven's soft-core porn thriller, where once was shock and awe killings (the film opening with a brutal mini ice-pick murder), steamy love scenes and a famed and controversial crotch shot, now is ludicrous orgasms, iffy effects and Michael Douglas' unappetising ass! Hell there was even protests during the film's initial theatre run as the gay community went up in arms about the portrayal of bisexuals possibly being mad murderers? Yet for all of its taming over the years, Basic Instinct can at least now been seen as the hugely efficient mystery thriller that it is, one that is propelled by some very good performances by the principal actors. The strength in the story is not in the sex or blood, but in the character arcs of Nick Curran and Catherine Tramell (Stone). Curran is a man perched on the edge of doom who is controlled totally by the women around him. He is by definition a quintessential film noir protagonist, in so deep he ultimately will be resigned to his fate. Catharine Tramell is a ultimate femme fatale, beautiful and seductive, she's always in control, leading all male characters where she wants them to go. There's a delicious kink to the narrative, with Verhoeven gleefully pulling the strings, a smirk no doubt etched onto his face. This is very good story telling, with a plot of substantial twists and turns. True, it does carry some soft-core baggage that can steer the restless away from the character strengths within, but for the neo-noir crowd there is much to enjoy here. 7.5/10