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Basic Instinct 2

{{short description|2006 film by Michael Caton-Jones}}

{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Basic Instinct 2

| image = Basic_instinct_2.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Michael Caton-Jones

| writer = {{Plainlist|

}}

| based_on = {{based on|Characters created|Joe Eszterhas}}

| producer = {{Plainlist|

}}

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| cinematography = Gyula Pados

| editing = {{Plainlist|

  • John Scott
  • István Király

}}

| music = John Murphy{{efn|Original Basic Instinct themes by Jerry Goldsmith}}

| production_companies = {{Plainlist|

}}

| distributor = {{Plainlist|

}}

| released = {{Film date|df=y|2006|03|30|Germany|2006|03|31|Spain, United Kingdom and United States}}

| runtime = 114 minutes{{cite web|title=BASIC INSTINCT 2 (18)|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/basic-instinct-2-2006-2|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130504230222/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/basic-instinct-2-2006-2|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 May 2013|publisher=British Board of Film Classification|date=17 March 2006|access-date=19 April 2013}}

| country = {{Plainlist|

  • Germany
  • Spain
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

}}

| language = English

| budget = $70 million

| gross = $38.6 million

}}

Basic Instinct 2 (also known as Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction) is a 2006 erotic thriller film directed by Michael Caton-Jones, produced by Mario Kassar, Joel B. Michaels, and Andrew G. Vajna, and written by Leora Barish and Henry Bean. The sequel to Basic Instinct (1992), it stars Sharon Stone, who reprises her role of the crime novelist Catherine Tramell, and David Morrissey. The film was an international co-production of German, British, American, and Spanish production companies.

The film follows novelist and suspected serial killer Catherine Tramell, who is once again in trouble with the authorities, this time in London. Now Scotland Yard (Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service) appoints psychiatrist Dr. Michael Glass to evaluate her. As with SFPD Detective Nick Curran in the first film, Dr. Glass becomes a victim of Tramell's psychological manipulation.

After being in development limbo for several years, the sequel film was shot in London from April to August 2005, and was released on 31 March 2006. It received negative reviews and underperformed at the box office.

Plot

In London, American best-selling author Catherine Tramell is driving with her companion, famous English football star Kevin Franks. Tramell takes Franks's hand and begins masturbating herself with it as she accelerates the car, but the semi-unconscious Franks appears unaware of what is happening. At the point of orgasm, Tramell veers off the road and crashes into the West India Docks on the Thames. She attempts to save Franks but is unable to undo the seatbelt. When questioned later by the police, she says, "When it came down to it, I guess my life was more important to me than his".

Tramell's interrogator, Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent Roy Washburn, notes that D-tubocurarine (DTC), a neuromuscular blocking agent used to relax muscles during general anaesthesia for medical surgery, was found in her car and in Franks' body and the autopsy shows he was not breathing when the crash occurred. Washburn says that a drug dealer claims he sold Tramell DTC, but Tramell counters that he is lying and has no evidence.

Tramell begins therapy sessions with Dr. Michael Glass, who has conducted a court-ordered psychiatric examination and given testimony in her case. Dr. Glass suspects Tramell is a narcissist who cannot differentiate between right and wrong. Tramell begins to manipulate Glass, who becomes increasingly frustrated and intrigued by her, although he has just begun a relationship with another psychiatrist, Michelle. Meanwhile, the journalist boyfriend of Glass's ex-wife, Denise, who was writing a article criticizing one of Glass' past cases, is found strangled to death. More murders occur around Dr. Glass, including the killing of Denise & Tramell's drug dealer 'Dickie Pep'. His obsession with Tramell grows, and he is increasingly unable to distinguish between right and wrong. When the police begin to suspect Glass of the murders, Washburn, the only one who believes Glass, informs him that Tramell had an affair with Towers & Denise, gave Michael an false alibi for Denise's murder, & she is the real killer attempting to frame him. He confronts Tramell at her apartment, where they passionately have sex. Tramell gives Glass a copy of the draft of her next novel, titled The Analyst. After reading it, he realizes that Tramell has novelised most of the recent events, with Glass and herself as characters. A character based on Glass's female colleague, Dr. Milena Gardosh, is depicted as the next murder victim in the novel.

Glass runs to Dr. Gardosh's apartment, finding Tramell already there. Gardosh betrays Michael & informs him that she is now in charge of Tramell and that his license will be revoked. He and Gardosh struggle, and she is knocked unconscious. Tramell then threatens Glass with a gun she carries, but Glass confiscates it from her. Roy arrives at the scene, Glass shoots him and points the gun at Tramell before police tackle him.

Later, Tramell visits Glass, now apparently insensible and institutionalised at a mental hospital. She tells him that her novel has become a best seller. Tramell suggests that Glass used her proximity to him as an excuse to murder his enemies, intending to frame her. Flashbacks or imaginings show Glass committing the murders. She says she suspects he is faking insanity; murdering Washburn so he wouldn't be fit to stand trial. She gives him a copy of the book with the inscription, "I couldn't have done it without you." Tramell kisses him and leaves, and Glass begins to smile.

Cast

{{Cast listing|

}}

Development

MGM had planned to produce the sequel for release in 2002, but announced in 2001 that they would no longer be making the film. On the same day of the announcement, Stone filed a lawsuit against the movie's producers Andrew G. Vajna and Mario Kassar, claiming she was guaranteed "at least $14 million for her commitment to the sequel, even if the movie never got made" and "as much as 15 percent of gross receipts if the film were released".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2001/06/mgm-kills-basic-instinct-2/|title=MGM Kills 'Basic Instinct 2'|magazine=Wired|date=7 June 2001|access-date=17 April 2021}} Paul Verhoeven, who directed the previous film, was offered to direct, but he declined.{{cite web | url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/07/25/verhoeven-turns-down-basic-instinct-2 | title=Verhoeven Turns Down Basic Instinct 2 | date=25 July 2000 }} Die Hard director John McTiernan had been attached to direct the film. He said that he wanted Benjamin Bratt to play the male lead, but that Stone did not approve. He wanted to rewrite the character as a Latin-American psychiatrist working in an emergency room, who is "seduced not by just the woman but by wealth and luxury he'd never before been exposed to."{{cite web|url=http://movieline.com/2001/08/01/the-extreme-sport-of-being-john-mctiernan/|title=The Extreme Sport of Being John McTiernan|author=Movieline Staff|work=MovieLine|date=1 August 2001|access-date=17 April 2021}} Robert Downey Jr. declined the role of Dr. Michael Glass.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywood.com/general/stone-loses-instinct-57166368/|title = Stone Loses 'Instinct'|date = 19 March 2001}} Aaron Eckhart had also been in consideration to co-star with Stone. Other directors considered included David Cronenberg and Lee Tamahori. In 2004, the producers settled the lawsuit with Stone by agreeing to make the movie.{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2006/03/03/track-14-year-odyssey-basic-instinct-2/|title=Track the 14-year odyssey of Basic Instinct 2|first=Dade|last=Hayes|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=3 March 2006|access-date=17 April 2021}}

Production

Michael Caton-Jones signed on to direct the film, later stating, "I was completely broke and had to take anything that came in. Basic Instinct 2 was this poisoned chalice that had been passed around and eventually it arrived at my door."{{cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/film-and-tv/interview-rob-roy-director-michael-caton-jones-new-film-urban-hymn-1465639|title=Interview: Rob Roy director Michael Caton-Jones on new film Urban Hymn {{!}} The Newsroom|work=The Scotsman|date=4 October 2016|access-date=17 April 2021}} David Morrissey was cast in the co-starring role as the psychiatrist who analyzes Catherine Tramell. He said he "loved the script" and "immediately hit it off" with Sharon Stone "and it remained that way through the filming."{{cite web|url=https://movieweb.com/david-morrissey-talks-basic-instinct-2/|title=David Morrissey Talks Basic Instinct 2|first=Julian|last=Roman|work=MovieWeb|date=29 March 2006|access-date=17 April 2021}} The film was threatened with an NC-17 rating by the MPAA and went through cuts to achieve an R rating.

Reception

=Critical response=

{{RT prose|{{RT data|score}}|{{RT data|average}}|{{RT data|count}}|Unable to match the suspense and titillation of its predecessor, Basic Instinct 2 boasts a plot so ludicrous and predictable it borders on so-bad-it's-good.|ref=yes|access-date=2023-05-03}} {{MC film|26|33|ref=yes|access-date=2023-05-03}}

BBC film critic Mark Kermode was one of the few critics to give it a positive review.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUHWaXzz560&feature=relmfu |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/iUHWaXzz560 |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=Mark Kermode - Basic Instinct 2|date=24 December 2009|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} Roger Ebert gave the film 1.5 stars out of a possible 4, calling it "godawful," but not boring. He said, "The Catherine Tramell role cannot be played well, but Sharon Stone can play it badly better than any other actress alive."{{cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/basic-instinct-2-2006|title=Basic Instinct 2 movie review (2006)|first=Roger|last=Ebert|date=30 March 2006|access-date=18 April 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510211748/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/basic-instinct-2-2006|archive-date=10 May 2016}}

At the 27th Golden Raspberry Awards, the film (dubbed by the ceremony as "Basically, It Stinks, Too") won four Razzies for Worst Picture, Worst Actress (Sharon Stone), Worst Prequel or Sequel, and Worst Screenplay (Leora Barish and Henry Bean). It also earned nominations for Worst Director (Michael Caton-Jones), Worst Supporting Actor (David Thewlis), and Worst Screen Couple (Sharon Stone's lopsided breasts).{{cite web|url=http://www.razzies.com/history/06winners.asp|title=Golden Raspberry Award Foundation|access-date=25 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121201632/http://www.razzies.com/history/06winners.asp|archive-date=21 January 2013|url-status=dead}} The film also received three nominations at the 2006 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards: Worst Picture, Worst Actress (Sharon Stone), and Worst Sequel.{{cite web |title=Stinkers Bad Movie Awards - 2006 Ballot |url-status= dead |url= http://www.thestinkers.com/2006ballot.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070504100403/http://www.thestinkers.com/2006ballot.html | archive-date= 4 May 2007 |website= The Stinkers |access-date= 2 February 2020 }}

Michael Caton-Jones recalled later that making the movie was "a painful experience" and said, "the reaction I couldn’t care less about. It was the experience of making it: it was horrible. And I knew before I started that it wasn't going to be a particularly good film. Which is a very, very painful thing." Interviewed by Empire magazine, he said: "I remember coldly thinking 'this is the worst filmmaking experience of my life' at the time, but my memory of it is the good thing. We tried to give it a look and I was very happy with it. I had a difficult time with Sharon [Stone], but I had a great time with all the other actors."{{Cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/michael-caton-jones-talks-urban-hymn-dicaprio-memphis-belle/|title=Michael Caton-Jones talks Urban Hymn, DiCaprio and Memphis Belle|website=Empire|date=30 September 2016 }}

Morrissey said: "I thought it was a great script. I know it didn't turn out to be the greatest film in the world, but I've never regretted any job I've gone into. You learn from all your work, but the knocks that you take whether it be from journalist, reviews, etc. all serve to make you stronger."{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/live/2018/apr/17/david-morrissey-webchat-post-your-questions-now|title=David Morrissey webchat – your questions answered on working-class actors, Mo Salah and Basic Instinct 2|newspaper=The Guardian |date=20 April 2018|via=www.theguardian.com}} Plans for a third film were scrapped due to the poor box-office reception.{{cite web |date=5 April 2006 |title=Sharon Stone – Stone To Direct Basic Instinct 3 |url=https://www.contactmusic.com/sharon-stone/news/stone-to-direct-basic-instinct-3_05_04_2006}}

=Box office=

The film was a noteworthy domestic failure at the box office; it grossed only $3.2{{nbsp}}million in its first weekend of release in the United States and Canada, falling by nearly 70% (to just $700 per theatre) in its second weekend.{{Cite Box Office Mojo |access-date=2023-05-03}} In the end, the film was in theatres for only 17 days before Sony decided to stop tracking its progress, and finished with a domestic gross of $6.0{{nbsp}}million. The film earned $32.7{{nbsp}}million in international markets, for a worldwide theatrical gross of $38.6{{nbsp}}million, against a budget of $70{{nbsp}}million. In 2007, Moviefone ranked the film as number 16 on its Top 25 Box Office Bombs of All Time.{{cite web | url=https://www.moviefone.com/insidemovies/2007/11/15/biggest-box-office-bombs/ | title=Moviefone Top 25 Box Office Bombs of All Time | publisher=Moviefone.com | access-date=5 September 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723010419/http://www.moviefone.com/insidemovies/2007/11/15/biggest-box-office-bombs/ | archive-date=23 July 2008 | url-status=dead}}

=Awards and nominations=

class="wikitable"
Award

! style="width:12em;"| Category

! Nominee(s)

! Result

! Ref.

Alliance of Women Film Journalists

| colspan="2"| Hall of Shame

| {{won}}

| align="center"| {{cite web |url=https://awfj.org/blog/2006/12/17/awfj-announces-2006-eda-awards-winners/ |title=2006 EDA Awards |publisher=Alliance of Women Film Journalists |date=December 17, 2006 |access-date=August 25, 2021}}

rowspan="7"| Golden Raspberry Awards

| colspan="2"| Worst Picture

| {{won}}

| align="center" rowspan="7"| {{cite web |url=http://www.razzies.com/history/06winners.asp |title=27th Annual Golden Raspberry Awards |publisher=Golden Raspberry Awards |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225020341/http://www.razzies.com/history/06winners.asp |access-date=October 31, 2016 |archive-date=February 25, 2009}}

Worst Director

| Michael Caton-Jones

| {{nom}}

Worst Actress

| Sharon Stone

| {{won}}

Worst Supporting Actor

| David Thewlis {{small|(also for The Omen)}}

| {{nom}}

Worst Screenplay

| Leora Barish and Henry Bean;
Based on characters created by Joe Eszterhas

| {{won}}

Worst Screen Couple

| Sharon Stone's lopsided breasts

| {{nom}}

colspan="2"| Worst Prequel or Sequel

| {{won}}

Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Awards

| colspan="2"| Obviously Worst Film

| {{won}}

| align="center"|

rowspan="3"| Stinkers Bad Movie Awards

| colspan="2"| Worst Picture

| {{nom}}

| align="center" rowspan="3"| {{cite web |url=http://www.thestinkers.com/2006ballot.html |title=Stinkers Bad Movie Awards - 2006 Ballot |publisher=Stinkers Bad Movie Awards |access-date=February 2, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070504100403/http://www.thestinkers.com/2006ballot.html |archive-date=May 4, 2007 |url-status= dead}}

Worst Actress

| Sharon Stone

| {{nom}}

colspan="2"| Worst Sequel

| {{nom}}

Women Film Critics Circle Awards

| colspan="2"| Hall of Shame

| {{won}}

| align="center"| {{cite web |url=https://wfcc.wordpress.com/women-film-critics-circle-awards-2006/ |title=Women Film Critics Circle Awards 2006 |publisher=Women Film Critics Circle |date=16 December 2006 |access-date=August 25, 2021}}

Yoga Awards

| Worst Foreign Actress

| Sharon Stone

| {{won}}

| align="center"|

Notes

{{Notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Portal|Film}}

  • {{wikiquote-inline}}
  • {{IMDb title}}

{{Basic Instinct}}

{{Michael Caton-Jones}}

{{Navboxes

|title = Awards for Basic Instinct 2

|list =

{{Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Worst Film}}

{{Razzie Award for Worst Picture}}

{{Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel}}

{{Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress}}

{{Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay}}

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Basic Instinct 2}}

Category:Basic Instinct

Category:2006 films

Category:2006 psychological thriller films

Category:2000s American films

Category:2000s English-language films

Category:2000s erotic thriller films

Category:2000s mystery thriller films

Category:2000s serial killer films

Category:American erotic thriller films

Category:American mystery thriller films

Category:American psychological thriller films

Category:American sequel films

Category:British erotic thriller films

Category:British mystery thriller films

Category:British psychological thriller films

Category:British sequel films

Category:C2 Pictures films

Category:English-language German films

Category:English-language Spanish films

Category:Erotic mystery films

Category:Films about sexuality

Category:Films about writers

Category:Films directed by Michael Caton-Jones

Category:Films produced by Andrew G. Vajna

Category:Films scored by John Murphy (composer)

Category:Films set in London

Category:Films shot at Pinewood Studios

Category:Films shot in London

Category:Films shot in Surrey

Category:German erotic thriller films

Category:German mystery thriller films

Category:German psychological thriller films

Category:German sequel films

Category:Golden Raspberry Award–winning films

Category:Spanish erotic thriller films

Category:Spanish mystery thriller films

Category:Spanish sequel films

Category:2000s British films

Category:2000s German films

Category:2000s Spanish films

Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films

Category:Films produced by Mario F. Kassar

Category:English-language crime films

Category:English-language erotic thriller films

Category:English-language mystery thriller films

Category:Films about psychopaths and sociopaths

Category:Films about female psychopaths and sociopaths