Basic Instinct 2

Cast: Sharon Stone, David Morissey, Charlotte Rampling, David Thewlis
Director: Michael Caton-Jones
Release: 2006
Studio: MGM

Having absolutely LOVED the first Basic Instinct, like many fans of the original, I could not wait to get my hands on the sequel. Would the thick atmosphere, the sexually charged interactions, the twisting plot and the quality acting be recreated?

Well, the answer is yes and no…a little yes, more no. A different director, miscast actors and less than enthusiastic script made Basic Instinct 2 a dead-on-arrival cinema release. Having said that, it is still a flick to settle down with on a rainy Sunday afternoon when really there isn’t anything better to do. Just don’t plan on watching this one over and over.

The two biggest let downs for me were David Morrisey playing the male lead opposite to Sharon Stone, and the poor script. Morrisey is simply not a leading man…his range of emotions goes from rigid to stiff. He reminded me of a rabbit caught in the headlights; and no, I am not talking about Sharon Stones chest headlights (which incidentally still look fabulous). The script by Barish and Bean simply does not hold any interest and leaves too many holes. I found myself missing the original (by Joe Eszterhas) after only a couple of minutes; that’s how noticeable the difference is.

The plot finds Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone) now living in London. She is involved in a car accident, and when the guy in the passenger seat dies, suddenly she comes to the attention of the police. Inspector Roy Washburn (Thewlis) has major suspicions about our Catherine, and rightly so, but once again there is no smoking gun. The court orders psychologist Michael Glass (Morrisey) to create a psychological profile of Tramell, and he immediately becomes her play thing. Several more deaths, some less than sizzling sex scenes and a few mildly intense exchanges later, the finger is somehow pointed at Glass, whilst Tramell comes off cleaner than a freshly scrubbed Nun. The conclusion is more annoying than thrilling, and the desperate attempt to make the audience remember that it is the sequel of an original classic is so forced I found myself fuming at the desecration.

So what are the good points? Brief glimpses of Sharon Stones nudity (and they are brief despite the hype) proves women over forty can still be cutting edge sexy, the wardrobe is good (I know I am getting desperate) and some of the action scenes are engaging.

I think the whole thing can be summed up by my favourite scene where Catherine talks about her first sexual experience. The problem with that is you won’t find it in the film; rather in the deleted scenes bonus material on the DVD.

Sharon Stone is okay in her role, unfortunately those around her don’t cut the mustard. Mind you, they don’t have a great script to work with. Michael Caton-Jones, best known for directing Rob Roy, shows no inspiration and generally the whole film feels forced and devoid of soul. Ouch!

Rating: Worth a look if nothing else is available, but don’t build up your expectations.