"Basically, It Sucks"
by Scott Mantz

“Basic Instinct 2”
Sharon Stone, David Morrissey
Directed by Michael Caton-Jones

Dressed to kill! David Morrissey can't resist Sharon Stone in "Basic Instinct 2"

A few weeks ago, Entertainment Weekly – that pop-cultural bible of all things show-biz – published a much-contested and controversial article called “The 25 Worst Sequels Ever Made.”  Their list included torturous cinematic disasters like “Battle for the Planet of the Apes,” “Jaws: The Revenge” and “Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan.”

Too bad they didn’t wait just a few more weeks to publish that list.  For if they did, there’s a very good chance that Sharon Stone’s “Basic Instinct 2” would have topped it, beating John Travolta’s “Staying Alive” as the worst sequel of all time.

That’s because it’s bad – really bad, as in worse-than-“Showgirls” bad.  Despite the fact that Stone hasn’t looked this great since, well, the first “Basic Instinct” made her a superstar 14 years ago, this wholly unnecessary sequel is so idiotic and unintentionally funny, one has to wonder why it wasn’t done as a comedy.

And that’s a real shame, since Stone worked so hard to put her unforgettable performance as seductive Catherine Tramell behind her.  But she paid her dues as a serious actress, and by the time she got nominated for her terrific supporting turn in 1995’s “Casino,” people stopped thinking about her infamous interrogation scene in the first movie (well, at least most people did).  More recently, Stone gave another scene-stealing performance alongside Bill Murray in last year’s under-rated gem “Broken Flowers.”

Alas, all that hard work goes out the window.  Why she even felt compelled to make a sequel in the first place is beyond me.  In fact, it was beyond a lot of people, namely the actors who were initially offered – and ultimately turned down – the part of her male co-star after Michael Douglas wisely refused to reprise his role from the 1992 original.  The apparently endless list included the likes of Benjamin Bratt, Pierce Brosnan, Kurt Russell and Hugh Jackman, all of whom were basic enough to trust their instincts and pass on this misbegotten project.

The actor who got the job?  David Morrissey.  That’s right, David who?  Up to this point, Morrissey’s most notable big screen credits included “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” and the critically-acclaimed “Hilary & Jackie.”  If he’s lucky, he’ll emerge from this cinematic train wreck relatively unscathed.  It’s not that he’s a bad actor, but he’s not charismatic, interesting or dynamic enough to hold his own against the over-the-top Stone or rise above the terrible dialogue he’s forced to deliver.

But deliver it he does as Dr. Michael Glass, a respected London criminal psychiatrist who evaluates novelist Catherine Tramell’s connection to the death of a top sports star.  Glass is professionally inclined to keep his distance from Tramell, but he soon falls prey to her web of lies and seduction.  As the people around him begin to die one by one, a deadly battle of wits ensues between Glass and Tramell, forcing him to make a startling choice that will change both of their lives forever.

As deftly directed by Paul Verhoeven, the first “Basic Instinct” was a daring, entertaining, erotic, suspenseful B-movie thriller that was ultimately defined by the dynamic chemistry between Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone.  Director Michael Caton-Jones fails to achieve this balance in the sequel, resulting in an unintentionally hilarious mess that almost seems like a spoof of the original.  The story is boring and slow-moving, and Stone has absolutely no chemistry with Morrissey.

Of course, the real question everyone wants answered is, “does she get naked?”  The answer is yes, but not until 1 hour and 15 minutes into the movie (yes, I timed it – so sue me).  And she only has three nude scenes, compared to the first movie, where she could barely keep her clothes on.  Does she look good?  Sure.  In fact, she looks amazing, especially for a 47-year-old woman (her age when she made the film).

But is that enough to justify an otherwise terrible movie?  Obviously, the answer is no.  So here’s a better idea – why not wait another 20 years and see a 67-year-old Sharon Stone take it all off for “Basic Instinct 3?”  I mean, can you imagine?  Now, that’s comedy!

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