38
Once the credits are done rolling it's a dour, enervated mystery, selling the old cat-and-mouse games.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
50
Those hoping for either a sizzling -- or an unintentionally hilarious -- good time will be disappointed by this inexplicably dull sequel.
40
Basic Instinct 2 pushes diligently along in a murder-and-mayhem-stuffed effort to demonstrate that (a) a sillier and more hackneyed movie than "Basic Instinct" is possible and (b) that shrinks have ids too, by golly.
30
Wall Street Journal by Joe Morgenstern
Basic Instinct 2 is pretty awful. Rarely has a meaningless thriller had so many meaningful glances, or such arch acting by good actors who know better.
10
The New York Times by Manohla Dargis
A disaster of the highest or perhaps lowest order.
0
Austin Chronicle by Marc Savlov
Stone still dazzles the eye, but this wholly unwarranted sequel is so outrageously preposterous (and so very chockablock with quotable examples of the fine art of bad dialogue) that the end result achieves a basement grandeur of near-epic proportions.
25
Fortunately, as a showcase for Sharon Stone's physique, Basic Instinct 2 is a rousing success. In every other respect, it's a colossal failure.
67
Entertainment Weekly by Owen Gleiberman
Basic Instinct 2 isn't bad, exactly, but it lacks the entertaining vulgarity of the first film; it's Basic Instinct redone with more ''class'' and less thrust.
0
Rolling Stone by Peter Travers
The laughs to be had in this deliciously awful sequel are all unintentional. A bummer for film buffs, but a ball for fans of the misbegotten.
30
Washington Post by Stephen Hunter
Where is the suspense part? There is no suspense part. Suspense demands clarity of motive and action, and this screenplay never provides it.