The basic premise centers around Detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) as he investigates the brutal murder of former rock star Johnny Boz. As he is investigating he meets the victims girlfriend and famous novelist Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone) who becomes a suspect in the murder. She uses both her sexuality and amazing skills of manipulation to confuse and misdirect Detective Curran as he attempts to solve the case. From the mysterious blonde women to the premise of the film, Basic Instinct definitely has a very Hitchcock feel and style to it. It is both a gripping psychological thriller and intriguing murder mystery that is hard to take your eyes off of.
Not only is the story fascinating but the visuals are impressive as well. Cinematographer Jan de Bont crafts a distinct visual style that encapsulates the Hitchcock like feel of the film but with a modern twist. Not only is the camerawork impressive but the special effects are as well. There are several brutal murders that occur in the film and special effects wizard Rob Bottin (dude who designed Robocop) really makes them look realistic. The major controversy surrounding the film had to do with the amount of nudity and sex scenes that occur in the film. This is obviously not a film that you are going watch with your children so I really don’t understand the complaints. The entire premise and title of the film make the nudity and violence necessary. I almost feel like Verhoeven was trying to prove that our “Basic Instincts” of violence and sexuality would attract audiences to the film and he was right as it grossed over $300 million worldwide.
You cannot talk about Basic Instinct without talking about the performances and more specifically Sharon Stone. While she may not have the screen time that Michael Douglas has in this, she is definitely the star of the film. She plays a very mysterious and confusing woman who can woo you with her feminine charms but at the same time outsmart you with her intelligence and cunning. She is a fascinating character and even at the end of the film your not sure if she was the murderer or not, despite the case supposedly being solved. It is also fun to see her manipulate Detective Curran so easily, despite him thinking he is in control. Michael Douglas also gives a solid performance in this although his character is somewhat cliché. He plays the psychologically disturbed cop who has too many vices and people think he’s crazy. When he really stands out though is in his interactions with Sharon Stone because you know he has no clue how badly he is being manipulated. Something interesting I noticed when I was doing some research for this write up is that Michael Douglas has starred in all 3 of the highest grossing erotic thrillers (Fatal Attraction, Basic Instinct and Disclosure) according to Box Office Mojo. I guess these are the types of films he really likes to make.So all in all Basic Instinct is arguably the best Erotic-Thriller ever made and one of the best Mystery/Thriller’s in modern film history. Paul Verhoeven put together a sort of homage to Alfred Hitchcock but with his own unique twist that makes it such a mesmerizing film to watch. So if your looking for a Mystery/Thriller that features a great story, fantastic performances and a cool visual style Basic Instinct comes highly recommended.
MY RATING-
4.5 out of 5
-Chris “Da Franchize” Hart
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