You may notice that so many of the sequels we've covered this week are past their expiration date. By that, I mean the time to make a sequel to Basic Instinct was a few years after that one came out in 1992, not in 2006. Maybe in 1995 or 1996 would have worked. You may also remember that so many of these movies are troubled production. "Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction" is no different. MGM had planned this movie to come out in 2000 - still late, but somewhat better - but then decided they had no interest in making the movie. That's when lead actress Sharon Stone filed a lawsuit 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% of gross receipts if the film were released. By 2004, the lawsuit was settled and British director Michael Caton-Jones ("Doc Hollywood" (1991), "The Jackal" (1997), "Memphis Belle" (1990)) got the job and thus, the action had moved from New York to London. He was broke and needed to make a movie, but called making this movie a "poisoned chalice" and said that "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." The movie starts with novelist and possible serial killer Catherine Tramell (Stone) who had moved from San Francisco to London, using the hand of Kevin Franks, a passed out soccer player, to get herself off while speeding through the streets, finally crashing into the Thames river. It was at this point that I began laughing uncontrollably as the athlete gazes upon Tramell like she's some kind of vision and then drowns while she swims away. It turns out that the soccer star was all pilled up and couldn't even move, but Scotland Yard is unable to make any charges stick. But she has to report to court ordered sessions with Dr. Michael Glass (David Morrissey), who she of courses beds and starts writing about for her new novel, a story in which real people all around them are being killed in both prose and real-life ways. Unlike the original movie, which seems to only hint at the fact that Tramell is a killer or can manipulate any man or woman into doing what she wants, in this one it's beyond obvious and there's even a square up reel at the end showing all the murders and how she talked Glass into it. I kind of love the reasons why no man was good enough for this movie. Michael Douglas? Too old. Robert Downey Jr.? Possession charges. Kurt Russell? Didn't want to strip down. Pierce Brosnan? Didn't like the sleaze. Bruce Greenwood? Potential actor strike. Rupert Everett? Calling a pervert who American audiences wouldn't accept by the MGM CEO. And Benjamin Bratt? Sharon Stone didn't think he was a good actor. Let that one set in. Remember when Nigel Tufnel confusingly asked, "What's wrong with being sexy?" I kept hearing that same question throughout this movie but it's just a cavalcade of shocking scenes that by 2006 were no longer shocking. This is the kind of movie that demanded to be made by someone demented, someone willing to tell Sharon Stone that she'd have to dress like a cat and urinate in a litter box on camera or fart into jars and sell them to people if she wanted to shock someone. Instead, her scene of knowingly looking into another man's eyes while engaging in an orgy is positively quaint. It's like finding out your mom's best friend is on Fetlife. You're not all that surprised and you really don't want to know the details or see any pictures, but you can be happy for her and wish her well. Speaking of that, Stone wanted to make a third one and even offered to direct, but I don't think she will because due to the failure of this movie, she (now in her sixties) works in TV series and low-budget films.
And finally, I will say to all the reviewers who liked this sequel (who were mostly teenagers in 2006): if BI1 was in San Francisco, BI2 was in the UK...where will be BI3 set? Italy? Russia? Japan? I bet it will be more of the same as the previous ones. And perhaps they can get Kristen Stewart for the role of Catherine Trammell to see if you like her. Bon appetit.
And finally, I will say to all the reviewers who liked this sequel (who were mostly teenagers in 2006): if BI1 was in San Francisco, BI2 was in the UK...where will be BI3 set? Italy? Russia? Japan? I bet it will be more of the same as the previous ones. And perhaps they can get Kristen Stewart for the role of Catherine Trammell to see if you like her. Bon appetit.