Basic Instinct
Todd Gaines

Review by Todd Gaines Patron

Basic Instinct 1992

★★★★½

Rewatched 25 Jan 2017

I love how the opening scene of Basic Instinct is filmed. You're almost certain you know the identity of the killer, but by never showing the killer's face, you have just the right amount of doubt in your head. Paul Verhoeven's Basic Instinct is a game of Tomcat and Kitty between Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone, and it forever changed the mainstream erotic thriller.

The interrogation scene. Who doesn't love it? Of course, there's the ultimate money shot, but Sharon Stone completely flips the script. She's the one being questioned, yet by the end of the scene, she's the one in total control. That's real fuckin' power.

Was the San Francisco setting done on purpose? The early '90s was a scary time for HIV and AIDS. It was proven that AIDS wasn't just a disease for certain people, but something that could infect anyone. You put the straightest cop on the police department up against a literal Sex Queen, and you're bound to sizzle up the screen. The fear of fucking is completely taken away. Or, maybe not? Fucking can kill your ass in Basic Instinct! So is this a pro or anti safe sex movie? 

Basic Instinct is as steamy as a steam engine. The sex between Michael and Sharon is quite fuckilious™. It's on, and it never stops. Props to both actors for laying it all out!

I think the car chases in Basic Instinct are underrated. The Streets of San Francisco come to life as Michael races across town to try and solve the case. The music is quite sensual in a non-erotic way. The biggest goofs in Basic Instinct are the total lack of proper police procedures and a few timeline issues for certain characters. None of the faults, take away from the fun.

Of course, this is Michael and Sharon's movie, and you could argue that it's really only Sharon's movie and I wouldn't disagree. However, I must give credit to one of the best red herrings, Jeanne Tripplehorn's Dr Beth Garner and the ultimate sidekick of a partner, George Dzundza's Gus. Without these two, Basic Instinct wouldn't be the same film. Ms Tripplehorn's performance has always stuck with me. You can debate how consensual a certain scene with Michael is, and what exactly this scene tells you about Michael's overall moral character. Honestly, her character is the glue that holds the film together. Then there's Gus. I love Gus! I smile every single time he calls Michael, Hoss. He's the ultimate best friend, and my favorite character in the movie. 

Basic Instinct is one of the most rewatchable movies, ever. Paul Verhoeven directs movies his way, and gives zero fucks what you think. He's David Lynch without the fuckin' weirdness. : ) What a genre game changer. What a way to make me forever icepickphobic™.

Block or Report

Todd Gaines liked these reviews

All
' ].join(''); if ( adsScript && adsScript === 'bandsintown' && adsPlatforms && ((window.isIOS && adsPlatforms.indexOf("iOS") >= 0) || (window.isAndroid && adsPlatforms.indexOf("Android") >= 0)) && adsLocations && adsMode && ( (adsMode === 'include' && adsLocations.indexOf(window.adsLocation) >= 0) || (adsMode === 'exclude' && adsLocations.indexOf(window.adsLocation) == -1) ) ) { var opts = { artist: "", song: "", adunit_id: 100005950, div_id: "cf_async_2b66a08e-8943-4437-9c0c-9a72932bcd7c" }; adUnit.id = opts.div_id; if (target) { target.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', adUnit); } else { tag.insertAdjacentElement('afterend', adUnit); } var c=function(){cf.showAsyncAd(opts)};if(typeof window.cf !== 'undefined')c();else{cf_async=!0;var r=document.createElement("script"),s=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];r.async=!0;r.src="//srv.tunefindforfans.com/fruits/apricots.js";r.readyState?r.onreadystatechange=function(){if("loaded"==r.readyState||"complete"==r.readyState)r.onreadystatechange=null,c()}:r.onload=c;s.parentNode.insertBefore(r,s)}; } else { adUnit.id = 'pw-2b66a08e-8943-4437-9c0c-9a72932bcd7c'; adUnit.className = 'pw-div -tile300x250 -alignleft -bottommargin'; adUnit.setAttribute('data-pw-' + (renderMobile ? 'mobi' : 'desk'), 'med_rect_btf'); if (target) { target.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', adUnit); } else { tag.insertAdjacentElement('afterend', adUnit); } window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', (event) => { adUnit.insertAdjacentHTML('afterend', kicker); window.ramp.que.push(function () { window.ramp.addTag('pw-2b66a08e-8943-4437-9c0c-9a72932bcd7c'); }); }, { once: true }); } } tag.remove(); })(document.getElementById('script-2b66a08e-8943-4437-9c0c-9a72932bcd7c'));
' ].join(''); if ( adsScript && adsScript === 'bandsintown' && adsPlatforms && ((window.isIOS && adsPlatforms.indexOf("iOS") >= 0) || (window.isAndroid && adsPlatforms.indexOf("Android") >= 0)) && adsLocations && adsMode && ( (adsMode === 'include' && adsLocations.indexOf(window.adsLocation) >= 0) || (adsMode === 'exclude' && adsLocations.indexOf(window.adsLocation) == -1) ) ) { var opts = { artist: "", song: "", adunit_id: 100005950, div_id: "cf_async_48bcf5c3-a452-4ae8-8ff4-4d52824ce7a9" }; adUnit.id = opts.div_id; if (target) { target.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', adUnit); } else { tag.insertAdjacentElement('afterend', adUnit); } var c=function(){cf.showAsyncAd(opts)};if(typeof window.cf !== 'undefined')c();else{cf_async=!0;var r=document.createElement("script"),s=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];r.async=!0;r.src="//srv.tunefindforfans.com/fruits/apricots.js";r.readyState?r.onreadystatechange=function(){if("loaded"==r.readyState||"complete"==r.readyState)r.onreadystatechange=null,c()}:r.onload=c;s.parentNode.insertBefore(r,s)}; } else { adUnit.id = 'pw-48bcf5c3-a452-4ae8-8ff4-4d52824ce7a9'; adUnit.className = 'pw-div'; adUnit.setAttribute('data-pw-' + (renderMobile ? 'mobi' : 'desk'), 'sky_btf'); if (target) { target.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', adUnit); } else { tag.insertAdjacentElement('afterend', adUnit); } window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', (event) => { adUnit.insertAdjacentHTML('afterend', kicker); window.ramp.que.push(function () { window.ramp.addTag('pw-48bcf5c3-a452-4ae8-8ff4-4d52824ce7a9'); }); }, { once: true }); } } tag.remove(); })(document.getElementById('script-48bcf5c3-a452-4ae8-8ff4-4d52824ce7a9'));