Legendary Verhoeven offering that catapulted Sharon Stone to super stardom is a dazzling piece of style, though rather trashy and glitzy. It is however utterly seductive and very funny as well - an enormously enjoyable serial killer mystery thriller with Hitchcockian undertones.

Basic Instinct is Verhoeven's interpretation of what a Hitchcock movie would be like in the promiscuous AIDS ridden 80's and 90's. The film is shot sumptuously and Stone oozes sensuality and mystery. It may not be too PC which is hardly a surprise given that this is a Verhoeven movie. Women have often been scheming murderous beauties in his previous films (Fourth Man for example).

However Verhoeven's tight direction and visual style as well as Joe Eszterhas's racy script make things enormous fun indeed. May not win too many points from feminists, but it is a hugely entertaining piece of Hollywood glam and glitz. A sizzling, sexy, thriller which grabs your attention one way or another. Michael Douglas giving another of his "self parody" performances. The infamous naughty bits have left many a viewer in uncontrollable spasms of laughter!