Basic Instinct Review

Sex, intrigue, brutal murders, suspense and more sex. This is the movie that launched Sharon Stone into stardom. And it wasn't just the nudity and the bold portrayals of sex in the movie that made it the huge success it was. The direction is taut, and the characters played by the stars are convincing, despite the fact that the theme itself is bizarre.

The very first scene of the movie has a couple involved in some heavy lovemaking. As it reaches its climax, the scene suddenly changes from erotica to a portrayal of a brutal murder. The woman uses an ice pick to kill her lover, even as he is caught in the throes of ecstasy. As the investigation gets underway, with Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) leading the detective squad, it becomes apparent that the killing was based exactly on a murder described in a novel. The author of the novel is the sexy Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone).

As Stone is questioned, in the now famous interrogation scene, the suspense builds up. Is she the murderer, and has she used her novel as an alibi? Why would she write about a murder that she intended to commit? On the other hand, she could have committed the murder just as she had written it. The rest of the movie revolves around the investigation. As Douglas unearths more and more facts about Stone, he realises that the truth is closer home than he thought. Stone has actually been researching his background for her next novel.

This psycho thriller never loses its audiences' interest. While it is best remembered for its bold sex sequences and Sharon Stone's personal assets, there is more in the movie that has made it the mega success it was. Stone as the "couldn't care less" heroine/vamp fits into the role as snugly as she does in her dresses. Douglas as the weathered detective with a drinking problem brings credibility to his character. All the other characters in the movie fit in perfectly in keeping the sex and suspense drama moving perfectly. Director Paul Verhoeven never loses a trick in keeping this movie taut at all times.