This is it, people -- the Holy Grail of nineties suspense thrillers. Screenwriter Joe Eszterhas crafted one of the most operatic storylines ever put on the large screen. Director Paul Verhoeven employs his usual visceral, heavy-handed touch as every scene drips with sweaty, stress-induced tension. Michael Douglas(scion of the scenery-chewing Douglas acting clan) over-emotes as a cop-on-the-edge investigating a grisly ice-pick murder. The ice theme continues with the adamantine performance of the aptly named Sharon Stone, as underpants-challenged author Catherine Trammell. Not since the silent era has there been so much eye rolling, teeth gnashing, and gut wrenching for the benefit of Verhoeven's too-close camera. Also making an auspicious debut is the fetching Jeanne Tripplehorn. As the police department shrink assigned to expose Douglas's demons, her black-irised glare and pouting lips exude large amounts of smoldering desire. The plot grinds to the usual conclusion, and, in the end, you are left with that post-coital, need-a-cigarette feeling you always get when you've gone home with that girl from the strip club. She looks so good, yet acts so bad. Accept no substitutes, movie lovers, especially the tepid sequel form last year. Nothing equals this potboiler for sheer guilty lowbrow pleasure. Four stars, with a bullet...er, icepick.Read full review
Michael Douglas (Nick aka Shooter) is an alcoholic detective in San Francisco. Sharon Stone (Catherine Trammell) an extremely overtly sensuous and beautiful crime writing novelist, is Nick's new possible serial killer to investigate. Almost immediately, Catherine becomes the prime suspect who is capable of manipulating Nick, who she calls Shooter. She's investigated his life for her book and getting into his mind and under his skin. He's shot and killed before and is still under police psychiatric care. Tramell plays on this shooter killer aspect of Nick's life. What I found disturbing about this film is the lousy portrayal of Catherine's romantic relationship with Roxie (Leilani Sharelle); plus, the fact that it is called "Lesbian." It is not Lesbian, it is a kinky sexual relationship between two same-gender people and that is all it is. Once again, the director and film depicts a casual same-gender sexual affair as Lesbian, deviant, and unstable. With one of the characters being mentally off beat (Roxie). If movies ware going to include same-gender relationships, then portray them as they typically are or don't call them Lesbian: committed, loving, and stable relationships. Roxie is jealous of men in Catherine's life; but, likes to watch Catherine having sex with them, anyway. That's kink, not queer sexuality. Catherine is composing her latest novel about a murder quite similar to the one Nick is investigating. More murders, as described in her current text, about a drunken detective in love with a serial killer keep occurring. Nick's ex-lover and police psychiatrist (Jeanne Tripplehorn) doesn't help Nick much by profiling Catherine as the serial killer. But she's got a motive: she's still in love with Nick and pretends to do anything she can to help him. But it's all fake. Nick's detective partner (George Dzundza) is truly concerned about his and Catherine’s fast developing sensuous relatio1nship. Stone and Douglas are near perfectly matched actors for the film and demonstrate an admirable sensuous chemistry. There is rape (between Tripplehorn and Douglas) and nudity (by both Stone and Douglas) in the film. So this triller is rated R for good reason. One marvelous bonus is seeing Dorothy Malone as a former mass murderer who's Catherine's mentor in studies of mass murderers. Malone is as beautiful as ever, style knowing how to flirt with the camera. Basic Instinct is destined to be a classic regardless of what professional critics write~Read full review
When a cop's search for a ruthless killer leads him to wealthy and seductive author, his involvement turns personal, and he must balance their affair with the mounting evidence against her. Sharon Stone looks great in this movie and lives up to being one of the sexest and smartest women in Hollywood, acting opposite of one of the most respected men in Hollywood, Michael Douglas. This movie is one you have to see if you are a movie fan. It is full of twists and turns and an ending you would never have expected.
A very entertaining movie, and the acting was also great!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
very clean DVD, no scratches etc. Great acting, held your attention .
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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