Basic Instinct

With so much hype around this film, it was quite obvious that this would be a box office hit. Controversy reigned over Verhoeven's treatment of women, demonstrations were held outside the cinemas and millions of dollars were taken, over what is simply an erotic thriller.

The plot goes something along the lines of San Francisco. Jonny Boz, retired rock star, is killed with an ice-pick by a woman with whom he is spending a quiet night in. (So that's what you call it now is it? - Alex). Enter onto the scene Nick Curran (Douglas) whose stability and mental attitude are somewhat in question after he accidentally(?) shot some tourists (Sounds like quite a good cause, actually... - Ed.). This is his case upon which he embarks by questioning Boz's girlfriend Catherine Trammell (Stone) who seems to have written a book about a rock star's death which happens exactly the way already described - freaky, huh?

Coincidental it may or may not be but Nick gets involved with the case and a whole series of events see him more and more engrossed with the murders and also Catherine Tramell. Add to Nick's already crumbling state of mind a female pyschologist whose sessions with Nick end by her revelations of her love for him and just maybe you'll begin to realise the bizarre love triangle that Nick is in. But will he catch the murderer in time, before the ice-pick catches him?

Obviously the hype and controversy surrounding this film guaranteed its success - as well as the grossly over the top sex scenes, but when all the gloss is stripped away, there is a subtle script at the heart of it all, with so many red herrings in it, you're never quite sure of what or who the true murderer is. (So now you've got a nice valid excuse to go and see it yet again - "Honest, I just want to work out who really did it!" - Alex).

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