In 1992, Basic Instinct became a very popular erotic thriller and made Sharon Stone a star. The movie inspired many copycat erotic thrillers that tried to cash in on the movie’s success. I had some problems but I still thought it was entertaining overall. For several years I’ve heard about the possibility of a sequel being made. As years passed and there was no movie, I figured it wouldn’t be made after all. I was wrong and Basic Instinct 2 was released fourteen years after the first movie.

Catherine Tramell, a famous author, was living in England and involved with a famous soccer player. They were in a car accident and he died while Catherine had no injuries. Roy Washburn, a police officer, believed that some items recovered from the car indicated that Catherine had killed him. She had to see a court appointed psychiatrist, Dr. Michael Glass, as part of the process of trying to get out on bail. He told the court he believed she had a risk addiction and would keep seeking bigger risks. She was granted bail and then went to see Mike at his office, wanting to go into therapy with him. He refused at first but changed his mind because he was intrigued by her. He was drawn to her even though he had doubts about her. While he was dealing with the situation with Catherine, Mike also had to deal with a reporter, Adam Towers, that was planning to write a story that could impact Mike’s career negatively. Roy remained convinced that Catherine was a killer as more people turned up dead. Mike couldn’t stay away from her and started to act differently. As he spent more time with her, his life started to spiral out of control.

I freely admit that I was curious about Basic Instinct 2 when I found out it was finally being made since I enjoyed Basic Instinct for the most part. I thought that Catherine was an interesting character and did want to know what she was doing after the end of the first movie. The final shot of that movie did leave a few possibilities open and raise a few questions. I was hoping for some answers and did get a few. The new movie wasn’t too closely tied to the first one, so people that haven’t seen the first one shouldn’t have trouble following this one. I do think things related to Catherine would make more sense if the movies were watched in order. If Basic Instinct 2 is watched first, there are a few things that would be spoilers for the first movie included. Catherine did briefly talk about Nick, the main male character from the first movie, and their relationship, including a few things that had to have happened after the end of that movie. I would have liked for just a little more information on how everything with that relationship ended. Really only a few brief things related to the plot of the first movie were brought up. A few things that had been established about Catherine in that movie, like that she had studied psychology in college, were never mentioned. That might have impacted how some characters reacted to her. I did wonder how much time had passed since the end of the first movie and just why Catherine had moved to England. Those things never were explained. One brief scene took place in a bookstore where there was a big display of the book Catherine had been writing in the first movie. The display made me think that the book hadn’t been out that long, but I’m just guessing on that.

Basic Instinct 2 wasn’t as suspenseful as it could have been. I don’t think it was even as suspenseful as the first movie. At first it did seem like the movie was going to focus on the possible murder charges against Catherine. That didn’t happen at all. Only a short amount of time during the very beginning of the movie was devoted to that. Once she was out on bail, the murder investigation seemed to just fade away. I’m honestly not even sure if she was ever charged. I had thought that the investigation would play a bigger part in the plot. Roy remained convinced that Catherine was guilty even though practically none of his case was shared. It was like Catherine being in trouble with the police was used only as a way for her to meet Mike and once that happened, the possible trial just vanished. Catherine wanted to see Mike for therapy, and after he agreed, parts of some sessions were shared. Those scenes tended to slow the pace of the movie. Catherine did share a few interesting tidbits without ever revealing anything that significant. There were just too many of the therapy scenes. The mystery aspect of the movie was very weak. The little suspense there was all came very near the end of the movie. Much of what happened was predictable, but there were some surprises added in that I think worked.

There was a death very early in Basic Instinct 2. It happened as a result of a car accident and may have been accidental but there were some indications that it might have been murder instead. Events leading up to the accident were shown along with the actual accident. It really wasn’t violent like the first death in Basic Instinct was. Roy seemed to believe that it was murder, but once Catherine was out on bail, not much else was said about that death or investigation. It wasn’t even said if there was going to be a trial or not. From the final resolution of the movie, I have a guess or two about what happened with that, but I would have liked to know for sure. Later in the movie, a few other characters, with connections to Catherine, turned up dead. Another character was attacked and ended up in a coma. That character was shown right after they were attacked and there was a lot of blood. It looked like it was a violent attack. A little while after that, Roy mentioned how that person was in a coma. That was the last I remember hearing about that character. It wasn’t said for sure if they died or not. I did wonder about that. None of the murders or the one attack were shown as they happened. The dead bodies were shown later. The scenes weren’t bloody but there were a few things that seemed to connect them. Near the end of the movie, there was some violence in one scene. That was really the only violence in the entire movie and it wasn’t that graphic. I think the first movie was more violent.

It has taken many years for Basic Instinct 2 to be made. The screenplay was written by two different people and there was also a new director. As I was watching the movie, I kept thinking how it seemed to be following the same pattern that was used in the first movie. Both movies started with a death, though it was much more violent in the first movie. Catherine was called in for questioning for both of them and that lead to her meeting a man she would play mind games with in both movies. Mike had some career related trouble to deal with like Nick had in the first movie. Really the only difference between the men was that Mike was a psychiatrist instead of a cop. Once he met Catherine, he was pulled under her spell just like Nick was and did many of the same things, from following her to changing his behavior. Mike did seem to be flipping out and his change seemed a little more sudden than Nick’s had been. It was shared that Nick had smoked and had a drinking problem before, so it wasn’t that surprising when he started both of those activities again. Mike didn’t start drinking or smoking, but he did start acting very out of character. Going into seeing a sequel, I do expect there to be some similarities between the movies and don’t mind that. It does start to bother me if the sequel is identical to the first movie. That didn’t happen with Basic Instinct 2, but I did think it was too much like the first movie, mostly with the way Mike reacted to Catherine. I guess I should be glad that no one was murdered with an ice pick during sex. There were even scenes set in a nightclub and the bathroom of the nightclub like happened in the first movie. It even sounded like the same score was used for this movie. The music did fit in with what was going on.

The first movie received a lot of media attention because of the sex scenes. The movie included several steamy sex scenes and showed off Sharon Stones’s naked body more than once. I expected more of the same from Basic Instinct 2 and even for the sex scenes to try to push the envelope further. I really don’t think that happened. There were sex scenes, but none of them were as steamy or sensual as the ones in Basic Instinct. There were a few sexual discussions that got a bit explicit and could make some viewers uncomfortable. I think there were fewer sex scenes in this movie and that they were shorter for the most part. There was less nudity as well. I’d heard a lot about how Sharon Stone was going to be naked in this movie. She was, but only in a few scenes. She was only shown completly naked from the front once, and that was a very brief shot. Her bare breasts were shown in a few scenes. She tended to wear very low cut, sometimes even sheer, shirts without bras. Her shirts seemed to suddenly become sheer in the middle of a few scenes, showing off the outline of her nipples when in the shot before they weren’t visible at all. Mike’s bare behind was shown once or twice. It was clearly established in the first movie that Catherine was bisexual. That was only briefly alluded to and Catherine was never shown in any situation with another woman that was sexual in any way. The sex scenes in this movie seemed tame compared to the ones in the first movie. There was enough nudity, as well as usage of the word that rhymes with luck, for the movie to be rated R. This isn’t a movie for children to see.

Catherine is the only character that returned from the first movie. Catherine was established as a very sensual, sexual, manipulative woman in the first movie. She was an exhibitionist and didn’t care if other people saw her naked or even having sex. She was the same way in Basic Instinct 2. She remained cool and collected in situations that would have made other people nervous. It was very clear when she first saw Mike by the way she looked at him that she was already starting to plan out how she would play her mind games with him. Catherine was very calculating and you never knew when she was telling the truth or spinning tales. I do think the character is very interesting. Sharon Stone was very good in the part. There were some times when she said some corny things, which was the fault of the screenwriters, but she pulled those lines off. Stone became Catherine and kept the character consistent with how she portrayed her in the first movie. Stone was able to convey a lot through her expressions. I think she was good in this part.

Mike was the main male character who had his life turned upside down by Catherine. He was a successful psychiatrist that did have some trouble in the past connected to a case. He seemed like he was still upset over the ending of his marriage. He was drawn to Catherine and became obsessed with her even knowing that she was a suspect in a murder investigation. He stopped thinking clearly and did some stupid things. David Morrissey was fine in the part. He was believable as a man becoming obsessed with a dangerous woman. Roy Washburn was a police officer and friend of Mike’s. Roy was convinced that Catherine was guilty was trying to find enough evidence to prove it. He could be forceful at times. David Thewlis was good in the part. He looked familiar to me but I couldn’t remember what movie I had seen him in before. After the movie was over it finally dawned on me that he’d played Professor Lupin in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Roy was a very different sort of character.

Milena Gardosh was a psychiatrist that Mike knew. He discussed Catherine’s case with her a few times and even went to Milena for advice. Milena was more of a supporting character, so Charlotte Rampling didn’t have a lot to do. Adam Towers was a reporter with a reputation for writing explosive stories for the magazine he worked for. He and Mike knew each other and had a complicated relationship. Adam was planning to write a big story about a case that Mike had worked on several years before. Hugh Dancy only had a few scenes in the movie too. His part was bigger in King Arthur. Mike’s ex-wife, I think her name was Laney, was around for a few scenes helping to add some complications to Mike’s life. Anne Caillon was fine in the part.

Main Cast

Anne Caillon - Laney
Hugh Dancy - Adam Towers
David Morrissey - Mike Glass
Charlotte Rampling - Milena Gardosh
Sharon Stone - Catherine Tramell
David Thewlis - Roy Washburn

Michael Caton-Jones - Director

Basic Instinct 2 was an interesting continuation to the story of Catherine Tramell. I do think there could have been more suspense and there were some slow spots that didn’t need to be included. The movie was entertaining even though I felt it had some problems. Fans of Sharon Stone may enjoy the movie. People that enjoyed Basic Instinct and are curious about this one may also enjoy it as long as their expectations aren’t too high. I would have given this movie two and a half stars if I had that option. Since I don't, I rounded up to three.

Basic Instinct ~



Recommended:
Yes