Cast: Armand Assante, Sean Young, Sherilyn Fenn, Kate Nelligan
Director: Carl Reiner
Producers: Katie Jacobs and Pierce Gardner
Screenplay: David O'Malley
Cinematography: Gabriel Beristain
Music: Richard Gibbs
U.S. Distributor: MGM
Ned Ravine (Armand Assante) has a dual career. By night, he's a tough, no-nonsense cop who always gets his man. By day, he's a defense attorney who defends most of the guys he catches. Despite his devotion to his cheating wife, Lana (Kate Nelligan), Ned finds himself strangely attracted to his newest client, the mysterious and sensuous Lola Kane (Sean Young), who is determined to lure the lawyer/cop back to her place and into her bed. There's another woman in Ned's life, as well -- his shy, innocent secretary, Laura (Sherilyn Fenn), whose past is about to catch up to her in the form of an abusive husband that she ran away from. And, as if Ned didn't have enough problems, his arch enemy has just been released from jail and is faxing him death threats.
Fatal Instinct is the next in a seemingly-endless series of parodies that sets its sights on recent blockbusters. As indicated by the title, the primary targets are Basic Instinct and Fatal Attraction. Thrown in for good measure are satires of Double Indemnity, Cape Fear, and Sleeping with the Enemy. Considering the fertile ground available with no less than five films being lampooned, you figure Fatal Instinct can't possibly miss the mark altogether. Bad assumption. This movie is about as stale and unfunny as they come.
This style of movie -- the "Airplane type" -- has long since worn out its welcome. The entries over the past few years have gotten progressively weaker, generating fewer laughs and providing more tedium. Nevertheless, Hollywood, in its infinite wisdom, has decided to lumber us with four more this year -- Loaded Weapon One, Hot Shots Part Deux, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and now Fatal Instinct.
For every joke that works in Fatal Instinct, there are a dozen that don't. Rapid-fire humor succeeds only when there are enough amusing bits to keep the viewer's mind off everything that falls through. In this film, it's painfully evident how unimaginative the script is. There are countless jokes that rely on sexual innuendo, but most of these aren't much more original than the graffiti found in an average high school boys' locker room.
Of the actors, only Armand Assante and Sherilyn Fenn give credible performances. Assante isn't as good doing the dead-pan cop as Leslie Nielsen, but he does an adequate job, and dances better than expected in high heels. He also has the best single line: "I don't look as stupid as I am." (If nothing else, that should tell you about the quality of humor in Fatal Instinct). Kate Nelligan and Sean Young, with their annoying portrayals of lifeless characters, belong exactly where they are.
If I see another send-up of Sharon Stone's character in Basic Instinct, I think I'll walk out of the theater. It wasn't funny the first time, and, by now, it's gotten downright annoying. Who cares if she uncrossed her legs without any panties on? Let's move onto something new. Belaboring that issue is like watching this movie: pointless.
© 1993 James Berardinelli