Fatal Instinct (1993)

20% of critics liked it
(20 reviews)
37% of users liked it
(5,430 ratings)

Fatal Instinct is an Airplane-style spoof of the late-'80s, early-'90s cycle of erotic crime thrillers. Setting the plot in motion is a kinky murder. Armand Assante plays the cop assigned to the case; he's also the prosecuting attorney; the "Sharon Stone" part is essayed by Sean Young. A dash of… More Fatal Instinct is an Airplane-style spoof of the late-'80s, early-'90s cycle of erotic crime thrillers. Setting the plot in motion is a kinky murder. Armand Assante plays the cop assigned to the case; he's also the prosecuting attorney; the "Sharon Stone" part is essayed by Sean Young. A dash of Body Heat is thrown in the pot as Assante's wife Kate Nelligan plots her hubby's demise. Tony Randall has a bit as a judge, while the film's semi-mocking jazz score is provided by Clarence Clemmons -- who shows up on screen to toot his sax at various crucial plot junctures. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 29 min.
Directed By: Carl Reiner
Written By: David O'Malley
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Oct 29, 1993 Wide
On DVD: Apr 1, 2003
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Brian Lowry, Variety
The filmmakers have provided critics ample artillery by prominently featuring a skunk in this thuddingly flat spoof of erotic thrillers.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
It's a real pity, because Reiner has certainly been funnier and more inventive on other outings and Sherilyn Fenn makes a winsome gal Friday.
Janet Maslin, New York Times
A collection of gags that vary much too wildly in terms of timing and wit.
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Small jokes are buried under elaborate setups. Sight gags are repeated to the point of exhaustion.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Maybe you'll be in the right mood and like this stuff. It looks good, and the actors are several notches above the usual parody cast in ability. And yet...
Rita Kempley, Washington Post
Lacking in both inspiration and ingenuity, it doesn't so much spoof the conventions of the genre as dumb down famous -- and in some cases, forgotten -- scenes from a slew of other movies.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Naturally the film pokes fun at the conventions of the film medium as well, but the routines are endlessly protracted.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Click to read review
JoBlo, JoBlo's Movie Emporium
Many jokes cracked me up.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
The gags come fast, but the tempo still seems curiously languid.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...not as edgy as a spoof of hard-nosed crime dramas ought to be.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Scattershot thriller spoof, but Assante's performance is really amusing. Carl Reiner's done (a lot) better.
Scott Renshaw, rec.arts.movies.reviews
I almost feel guilty about some of the places I laughed.
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews
Mostly lame and not particularly funny.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

This outrageous spoof movie is a little too much for it's own good most of the time, so it's not as funny as it could be. Overall, it's okay, though, it's entertaining enough for the most part.
Wahida K

Sex, murder and revenge were never this funny. I must say not one of the best spoof but not bad. It has alot of LOL moments.
Martin S

I didn't see the whole movie....but it was fun
Dean M

Good hit-and-miss spoofs from the following late 1980s thriller movies. This goofy movie makes me laugh.
Deb S

"Fatal Instinct" is another very funny spoof that pokes fun at many thrillers including yeah you guessed it, "Basic Instinct" and "Fatal Attraction". Armand Assante was surprisingly good in this comedy and plays Ned Ravine, a cop and a lawyer. He has only… More
"Fatal Instinct" is another very funny spoof that pokes fun at many thrillers including yeah you guessed it, "Basic Instinct" and "Fatal Attraction". Armand Assante was surprisingly good in this comedy and plays Ned Ravine, a cop and a lawyer. He has only lost one case--Max Shady and, now that he is about to be released, he wants revenge. He is also so dense that he doesn't realize his unfaithful wife Lana (Kate Nelligan) is cheating on him with Frank, the mechanic. While this is happening a blonde femme fatale (Sean Young) will stop at nothing to ruin his marriage. Sherilyn Fenn plays his attractive and loyal secretary.... Entertaining enough comedy along the lines of "Airplane" and "Naked Gun" with enough sexual innuendos and overt sexuality that had me laughing thru out.
Adam M

Ok spoof of films like Basic Instinct,Sleeping with the Enemy,fatal attraction and other "steamy thrillers".A cop/attorney gets seduced by a sexy bitch behind his wifes back but what he doesn't know is that his wife wants him dead,then take his money and move away with… More
Ok spoof of films like Basic Instinct,Sleeping with the Enemy,fatal attraction and other "steamy thrillers".A cop/attorney gets seduced by a sexy bitch behind his wifes back but what he doesn't know is that his wife wants him dead,then take his money and move away with the car mechanic she's been having an affair with.Plus there's his secertary,Laura,who's madly in love with him but is haunted by her past of being in a violent marriage to a mentalist.There's some pretty good gags here and there and Sherilyn Fenn is still fit,(although not as sexy as Audrey Horne,obviously,who is?)but this will never compare with The Naked Gun series or the Airplane films.

Read all 6 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Armand Assante as Ned Ravine

            Sherilyn Fenn as Laura

            Kate Nelligan as Lana Ravine

            Sean Young as Lola Cain

            Christopher McDonald as Frank Kelbo

            Tony Randall as Judge Skanky

            James Remar as Max Shady

            Savannah Smith Boucher as Woman Juror

            Keith Campbell as Murder Investigator

            Blake Clark as Milo Crumley

            Michael Cumpsty as Laura's Husband

            Julie Donatt as Reporter

            David Greenlee as Restroom Stall Patron

            Bernard Hiller as Prison Reporter

            Casey King as Prison Reporter

            Eartha Kitt as First Trial Judge

            Laurie Lapinski as Frightened Woman

            Harvey Levine as Blind Guy

            George Lopez as Murder Investigator

            Jane Lynch as Prison Reporter

            Rosie O'Donnell as Pet Store Owner

            Roger E. Reid as Court Reporter

            Ronnie Schell as Conductor

            Doc Severinsen as Guest Musician

            Gregory Sporleder as Court Clerk

            Bunny Summers as Train Passenger

            Bob Uecker as Sportscaster

            Jacob Vargas as Flower Delivery Man

            John Witherspoon as Arch

            Alex Zuckerman as Jeff

            Clarence Clemons as Himself

            Carl Reiner as Judge Ben Arugula

            Mark Anthony as Sports Announcer

            Renee Rousselot
            
            Suli McCullough as Reporter

            Christopher Darga as Prison Guard

            Lucy Lin as Prison Reporter
See full cast