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Basic Instinct is an accepted cult classic – famous for many reasons – but for those of us that have made it this far without seeing it, we wanted to find out does it still hold up?
Some films have a single moment that cements them into pop culture history with such strength, even those who have never seen the movie are aware of that moment… and we all know the infamous Basic Instinct scene, it’s been parodied 1000s of times.
The tale of a homicide cop struggling with a case will always be interesting, although Nick Curran, played by Michael Douglas, might just be the most boring and dejected cop to have ever existed.
With his ‘sometimes a smoker, sometimes a drinker, always trying to quit something’ personality, he can come across as a stale cliché to a modern audience.
Sharon Stone has a charisma, charm, and straight up power that’s rarely possessed by mortals, enough that a detective would naturally just say okay to murder – just for a sexual liaison with her?
Apparently. Seeing as that’s exactly what happens. It seems any guy on the police force would quite happily do anything she wanted, despite her apparent murderous tendencies.
That’s right – you could do anything you wanted in the 90s. Catherine Trammel stands out as a very strong, and much replicated, femme fatale, and Sharon Stone pulls it off perfectly.
Her confidence and self assuredness leaps off the screen, smacks you in the face and makes you think ‘Would I really mind if she stabbed me?’.
The downside though, is the final half hour of the movie, when the entire plot falls apart.
Plot twists were rife in movies of this time, especially murder thrillers like this, but the twist for Basic Instinct just doesn’t feel backed up by any foreshadowing or previous events in the movie.
You shouldn’t be able to see a twist coming, but you should be able to go back and spot the hints you missed.
All that aside though, its impressive to see female sexuality handled so well in a movie from this time.
Catherine is sexualised by those around her, but it’s clearly on her terms and she very much remains in the position of power.
It’s not one that necessarily should be considered a ‘must watch’, but you can understand why it’s become a cult classic.
Purple Revolver first time watch rating: 4 crossed leg pubes out of 10 at best.