Well, it's certainly better than I thought it would be...

but it's still more like a remake of "What About Bob?" than a sequel to "Basic Instinct".

I got to give the producers and everyone involved chops for giving the old college try and at least TRYING to hit the mark with decent material - they could have easily just remade the first film (as so many sequels are prone to do).

Here's where they went wrong:

1 - that damned title. "Basic Instinct 2"? If there is *one* lazy element in the film, that's it there.

2 - that damned leading man. I mean, who *is* that guy, anyways? Where is the recognizable face, the one we can watch and predict when put up against CATHERINE TRAMMEL??? Do you remember how awestruck we were by her character in the first film??? We absolutely *needed* good ol' Michael Douglas to provide a counterweight. This chap looked like he was just going to crumple up like a piece of notebook paper.

3 - In London, the steering wheel isn't on the left side of the car.

4 - The ending with the "twist". I saw it coming after the first murder. It was so obvious, so completely predictable that it shows just how toothless "twists" have become in this last decade. The first film had its twists, too, sure....but it wasn't dependent on a current trendy formula (the lead didn't realize what he was doing, etc. etc.)

5 - The plot I have to give kudos to for trying to be its own, but it did get very, very wordy and talkative about things that we really could care less about.

6 - the SEX. This film had such a blase' approach to its sex I was more than a bit puzzled. In the first film, part of the fun was watching the sex scenes between Nick and Catherine as if they're showing us mere mortals how the Gods of Olympus rattle the heavens - it was absurd but definitely interesting. I was puzzled that they chose not to focus on their chief selling point with the detail they should have - as if the producers were too self conscious and wanted the film to stand on its own. Fair enough, but when you're going to call it "Basic Instinct 2" (eyes roll) and then give us a half-dozen half-hearted attempts at kinky sex scenes you're really assuming a lot from your audience. Why the hell else are people buying tickets? To get 'caught up' in the blackmail plot with characters who aren't even onscreen for one second? That worked for "Miller's Crossing", and "BI2" is little league t-ball in comparison.

5/10, though. Got to give credit where its due - I found it a lot more professionally done than I expected.