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    Basic Instinct

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

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    "Basic Instinct" is part cheap titillation, part thriller, and part disturbing character drama and somehow, it works. Not only does the movie offer several memorable scenes, but it makes gutsy choices throughout. This is the kind of movie that love it or hate it, you’re not going to forget.

    The story involves Detective Nick Curran (played by Michael Douglas), a tormented man who has been ostracized by his co-workers. He's already high strung when he's appointed to a strange murder case. While having sex with an unknown woman, a big name ex-rock star has been murder with an ice pick. The chief suspect is his girlfriend Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone) but she's got an unusual alibi. As Nick looks deeper into the case, he and Catherine start developing a strange obsession with each other.

    Anytime you have a film with scenes as iconic as “Basic Instinct”, I think it’s automatically worth a look. As far as erotic thrillers go, this is a big one. Throughout the film, the tone switches from being genuinely erotic, to exploitative to being genuinely disturbing. There are many bedroom scenes where it's anger, not passion that dominates and it’s unsettling to watch. The amount of sex was criticized when “Basic Instinct” was released in 1992, but I think it works. The movie is an erotic thriller. It wants to get you aroused and knows that it will get butts in the seats by promising shots of Sharon Stone's bare breasts and Michael Douglas' ass. Many comedies punch up their rating by throwing in shots of topless women and when it comes down to it, they don't really affect the film's plot. That's not the case at all in "Basic Instinct". Right from the first frame, it lures you in with the sex and then quickly switches over to extreme violence. You're shocked and aroused at the same time. You feel like Michael Douglas' character. You feel guilty about making “the bad choices” and watching a story that at times is just cheap titillation but deep down you know you like it.

    Sharon Stone does a great job portraying a complex, strong and intelligent woman in a role that put her on the map. At times her charms are over-the-top, but it plays in the film's favor. The one scene where you'll be shaking your head is the famous interrogation at the police station. She has every officer in the room wrapped around her finger and just when you think it can’t get any crazier, it does. You know what scene I’m talking about. If you don’t, you won’t be able to believe what just happened but believe me, you’ll be glad to have witnessed it. No wonder no one can keep up with Catherine. They’re too busy sweating bullets. Praise is also due to Douglas, who convincingly plays the male lead. I found his portrayal of a man who is getting way too close to a potentially dangerous suspect and knows it convincing. Although his performance isn't as brave as Stone's (who was an unknown at the time) he brings it all in when it counts. His character is a complex protagonist; one that isn't always fun to follow but is captivating nonetheless.

    What about the story? Well, it's actually pretty clever. This is one of those thrillers where you'll guess who the killer is and your certainty will range as the movie goes along. You'll start at about a 90% certainty and then change your mind over and over until the surprise ending leaves you wondering how you didn’t figure it all out ahead of time. It's genuinely gripping to see the police officers trying to piece everything together, trying to pin the murder on a woman who knows exactly what's going on and has nothing, and everything to hide. Despite the 2hr running time, the story is never less than hypnotizing.

    Some other criticisms of the film include the depiction of gays and bisexuals as unfavorable ones. Sure the Catherine Tramell is bisexual, cold-blooded and not the most honest of citizens, but that just goes to show how intelligent and irresistible the woman is, bending men and women to her will. She's effortlessly manipulating everyone to do whatever her soul desires and both straights and gays are at her mercy. There are many moments where the characters are over-the-top but so is the sex, violence, and gore. It feels more like consistency than mistakes on behalf of director Paul Verhoeven.

    Whether you enjoy it as a guilty pleasure or because it genuinely gets to you, there's a lot to like in "Basic Instinct". It's well put together, the characters are interesting and it's satisfying to see two people that could have carried a movie on their own pitted against each other. It's a mix of sexy, thrilling and scary. There are more than a few moments and lines that you'll never be able to forget. You might go into the movie just for the goods that are promised by the R-rating but there's enough going on that you'll stay for the story. (Unrated Director's Cut on DVD, July 2, 2013)

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    adamwatchesmovies@  4.8.2016 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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