Basic Instinct

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1:57

Basic Instinct

R

Released Mar 20, 1992

2h 7m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

55%

Tomatometer

78 Reviews

64%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

The mysterious Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), a beautiful crime novelist, becomes a suspect when she is linked to the brutal death of a rock star. Investigated by homicide detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas), Catherine seduces him into an intense relationship. Meanwhile, the murder case becomes increasingly complicated when more seemingly connected deaths occur and Nick's psychologist and lover, Beth Garner (Jeanne Tripplehorn), appears to be another suspect.

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Critics Consensus

Unevenly echoing the work of Alfred Hitchcock, Basic Instinct contains a star-making performance from Sharon Stone but is ultimately undone by its problematic, overly lurid plot.

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Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

...earns its status as what Nick deems "the f*ck of the century", or at least what Catherine grudgingly concedes to be "a pretty good beginning", in radicalising the sexual politics of a subgenre more often associated with male privilege.

Jun 14, 2021

Full Review

Carrie Nelson

Bitch Media

Basic Instinct depicts queerness in the most sinister ways imaginable.

Jan 12, 2021

Full Review

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

Senses of Cinema

With her high octane gyno-power at full throttle, [Sharon Stone] ... commands our attention now as much as she did on the film's initial release, defiantly holding our gaze if we dare even for a moment let our eyes drift towards anything else.

Aug 27, 2018

Full Review

Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

An erotic thriller that initially hooks me with Sharon Stone's stellar performance as the dangerous and sensual femme fatale, but that, unfortunately, loses all its police intrigue with a gimmicky plot of sex, lies and murder. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 5/10

Jun 6, 2024

Full Review

Terry Francis

Southern Voice (Atlanta)

Basic Instinct is the work of fundamentally immature sensibilities. It uses women and differences in affectional preference as fodder for its misogynist, peek-a-boo mentality that views whatever it cannot understand as evil and threatening.

May 9, 2023

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Charles Rhodes

Our Own Community Press (Norfolk, VA)

A conglomeration of misogynistic nad homophobic images...

May 3, 2023

Full Review

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Don J

Saw the new 4K remaster of Basic Instinct (2021) produced by Rialto Pictures and Studio Canal. The transfer was really good and clean and felt fresh for a movie that is almost 30 years old. I had not seen this movie in about 15 years, so seeing it on the big screen felt pretty fresh. Is Basic Instinct a great movie? No. But, I think it was a bold movie for it's time to take on some really explicit material including sexual and sadistic violence, which many producers didn't have the courage to take on before. The movie's main strength is the electrifying chemistry between Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/10/21

Full Review

Ana P

She should've killed him.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/11/24

Full Review

Fabrícia F

Por ser um filme clássico para a maioria dos cinéfilos, a moral desse filme prova que a cobiça leva o homem a ruína. Envolvido numa experiência atípica, o protagonista (Michael Douglas) se deixa levar pela fraqueza de caráter ao se apaixonar por uma perigosa mulher (Sharon Stone) suspeita de assassinato. É uma tentação que ele poderia ter evitado se fosse mais esperto, pois a personagem de fato é uma homicida cruel e sanguinária que usa a tática da sedução como instrumento de manipulação para escapar da punição da lei.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/22/24

Full Review

Sam E

One of the best movies ever made.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/30/24

Full Review

David F

This is such a sleazy and smarmy update to the Film Noir formula of femmes fatale and urban decay that I couldn’t help but love it. It’s got thrilling and somewhat cliched plot about a detective trying to solve a sex murder in San Francisco, it’s got lots of great establishing shots of the Transamerica Pyramid and Golden Gate Bridge to constantly remind us where we are (plus a car chase up or down one of those crazy vertical San Francisco streets), and it’s got Sharon Stone in her prime. The way the film just embraces all these B-Movie goodies in a bear hug makes it endearing. It’s a popcorn film, wildly entertaining, adult and childish in equal amounts, and just really fine moviemaking all around. I love how it borrows the tone, music, and atmosphere of Vertigo with those long lingering following shots while mysterious music plays on the soundtrack and the waves of Northern California crash against the rocks. This is a film to be savoured.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/28/24

Full Review

Aleksander S

Basic Instict is a story filled with eroticism and passion. Although engaging, the plot has some gaps, which are hard to overlook.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/22/24

Full Review

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Paul Verhoeven

Director

Michael Douglas

Det. Nick Curran, SFPD Homicide

Sharon Stone

Catherine Tramell

George Dzundza

Gus Moran

Jeanne Tripplehorn

Dr. Beth Garner

Denis Arndt

Lt. Philip Walker SFPD

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Basic Instinct: Official Clip - Bloody Murder in the Elevator

2:13

Basic Instinct: Official Clip - Nick Attacks Nilsen

1:59

Basic Instinct: Official Clip - The Book is Done

2:09

Basic Instinct: Official Clip - Sharon Stone Taunts Michael Douglas

2:54

Basic Instinct: Official Clip - Seductive Nightclub Dance

1:20

Basic Instinct: Official Clip - Nick Breaks Up With Beth

2:12

Basic Instinct: Official Clip - The Car Chase

2:56

Basic Instinct: Official Clip - Who Was the Killer?!

1:30

Basic Instinct: Official Clip - Sharon Stone’s Interrogation

2:57

Basic Instinct: Official Clip - Deadly Car Crash

2:42

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Basic Instinct: Trailer 1

1:57

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Synopsis

The mysterious Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), a beautiful crime novelist, becomes a suspect when she is linked to the brutal death of a rock star. Investigated by homicide detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas), Catherine seduces him into an intense relationship. Meanwhile, the murder case becomes increasingly complicated when more seemingly connected deaths occur and Nick's psychologist and lover, Beth Garner (Jeanne Tripplehorn), appears to be another suspect.

Director: Paul Verhoeven
Producer: Alan Marshall
Screenwriter: Joe Eszterhas
Distributor: Live Entertainment, Live Video, Pioneer Entertainment, Columbia Tristar
Production Co: TriStar Pictures, Canal+, Carolco Pictures Inc.
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 20, 1992, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 15, 2015
Runtime: 2h 7m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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