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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

56%

Tomatometer

79 Reviews

64%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

The mysterious Catherine Tramell, 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, 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, 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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Chuck Bowen

Slant Magazine

Ruthless craftsmanship is Paul Verhoeven’s highest form of politics.

May 1, 2025

Full Review

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

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

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Audience Member

Great movie, loved it...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/24/25

Full Review

Tom F

Most interesting for two things, first a chance to watch Sharon Stone do her thing, second as a painful time capsule for what was going on in the early 90s.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/16/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Fabulously shot with style in a well-executed psychological game of cat and mouse

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/07/25

Full Review

Keith B B

It was a pretty good movie but was long and convoluted particularly near the end. I don't care for movies that lack a definitive resolution so I deleted one star. Watch if there's nothing else on but I warned you about the non-ending.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/26/25

Full Review

Alec B

Its one of the most interesting and impressive erotic thrillers of the 90s as it successfully engages in many contradictions. The movie is both titillating and repulsive, totally ridiculous and yet also genuinely thrilling, Sharon Stone's femme fatale indulges in old fashioned tropes while also undermining them. That is still annoys and excites audiences for a lot of the same reasons as it did in 1992 is a testament to the film's staying power.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/16/25

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

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, 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, 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, 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: Canal+, Carolco Pictures Inc., TriStar Pictures
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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