moonspinner55 Publish time 18-3-2021 04:56:14

"Basic Instinct" replay; almost a guilty pleasure

Assistant District Attorney in San Francisco investigates when a shady art dealer is murdered. Director William Friedkin is on auto-pilot with this silly retread of "Basic Instinct", however the dynamics of the plot tend to draw you in against your better judgment. The car stunts are fabulous, most of the actors are sultry eye-candy, elfin-faced David Caruso is admirably commanding, but the plot doesn't bear close scrutiny. Friedkin's porny scenes (which played havoc with the film's rating) walk that cinematic line between being necessary and just being exploitive (see "Lipstick"...and just about every movie written by this film's screenwriter, Joe Eszterhaus). "Jade" isn't despicable, but it leaves the viewer in the uncomfortable position of shameful voyeur, and while this may be titillating to some, it doesn't sit well in retrospect. ** from ****

score 5/10

moonspinner55 10 June 2007

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1671492/35092
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