6.9 (4,361)19922h 8m

Basic Instinct

A brutal murder. A brilliant killer. A cop who can't resist the danger.

ThrillerMystery

Catherine, a novelist with an insatiable sexual appetite, becomes a prime suspect when her boyfriend is brutally murdered -- a crime she had described in her latest story.

Why watch Basic Instinct

A strong, reliable pick for tonight. Delivers exactly what you'd expect from the genre with solid execution. Pour a drink, dim the lights, and let the opening scene pull you in — this one earns your evening. Expect the kind of story that lingers after the credits roll, the kind you'll want to text a friend about before bed.

— The What2Watch desk · US

Where to watch

The story

Catherine, a novelist with an insatiable sexual appetite, becomes a prime suspect when her boyfriend is brutally murdered -- a crime she had described in her latest story.

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Reviews & ratings

T
talisencrw9.0Jan 15, 2016
Controversy aside, in regards both to Sharon Stone's quintessentially-provocative noirish femme fatale (talk about a queen bee or alpha female!) and the backlash that the film portrayed lesbians as crazed psychos, Verhoeven both played a striking tribute to Sir Alfred Hitchcock, particularly San Francisco's based Vertigo and in use of the blonde bombshell, and simply continued his style of storytelling that had becom…Show more
John Chard
John Chard7.0Jan 2, 2019
I'd have to be pretty stupid to write a book about killing and then kill him the way I described in my book. I'd be announcing myself as the killer. I'm not stupid. Basic Instinct is directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhaz. It stars Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Denis Arndt and Leilani Sarelle. Music is scored by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by Jan de Bon…Show more