Good start, but then it gets ruined

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

FATAL INSTINCT is a side-split-tingly funny spoof of film noir dramas, in the AIRPLANE/NAKED GUN mode that offers affectionate winks at films like FATAL ATTRACTION, BASIC INSTINCT, THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, and CAPE FEAR, offering consistent laughs thanks, in part, to the self- assured direction of comedy icon Carl Reiner. Reiner smartly chose to cast strong actors instead of pure comics whose uncanny ability to play the funny material with completely straight faces is what makes the film so funny. Armand Assante is surprisingly funny as Ned Ravine, a cop and a lawyer who is being cheated on by a scheming wife (Kate Nelligan), being pursued by a sexy client (Sean Young)and being loved from afar by his faithful secretary (Sherilyn Fenn). There are also funny turns from Christopheer McDonald as Nelligan's dim-witted lover, James Remar, in a perfect take off of Max Cady from CAPE FEAR, and Tony Randall as a judge. The gags come fast and furious and most of them work, there's even a very funny cameo by Bob Euker, as a color commentator for a trial. Just sit back, relax, don't think about it too much and there's a lot of fun to be had here.

With the opening sequence there is a glimmer of hope but roll on a few minutes and it soon becomes clear that this is going to be well short of the mark of decent spoofs like Airplane, Naked Gun and Hot Shots. A good cast does nothing for the poor jokes and bad direction. Some of the cast were totally underused especially John Witherspoon who is extremely funny and might have added that something which was definitely missing from this film.I should have went with my Instinct after the first few minutes and stopped watching, that i'm afraid was my Fatal mistake. Overall if you like the above mentioned spoofs stay well clear of this one.

This is a parody of such movies as 'Basic Instinct' and 'Fatal Attraction', and others with strained male/female relationships. My neighbor Ron loaned it to me, a budget DVD.Armand Assante is Ned Ravine, cop and lawyer. So he can arrest you, read you your rights (with the help of cue cards), and then defend you in court. Sherilyn Fenn is Laura Lincolnberry, sweet, pretty assistant who secretly is in love with Ned. Kate Nelligan is Ned's wife, Lana Ravine, who is having a torrid affair with Frank, the auto mechanic who never seems to finish the job, played ably by Christopher McDonald (snotty golf professional in 'Happy Gilmore'). The joke is that Ned only sees a drawn out repair job, and is oblivious to the love affair. Tony Randall also does a good turn as Judge Skanky.It would be a mistake to call this a good movie. It has a number of funny moments, but I found it mostly a series of jokes woven into a thin story. However, I found it worthwhile just to see Sherilyn Fenn.

The movie `Fatal Instinct,' is a campy film noir (color) comedy that parodies famous film noir pictures from the past fifty years. A rich mixture of rapid corny one liners gives `Fatal Instinct,' an `Airplane!' or `Naked Gun' feel yet funnier. This film is an evolutionary step up from Reiner's past film `Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid' which was a black and white film noir comedy.The Players: (Some spoilers ahead)Armand Assante plays Ned, a married obtuse cop/lawyer who has no children and at the rate he is going, never will. Sean Young plays Lola Cain, the ice pick wielding femme fatal trying to aggressively seduce Ned.Kate Nelligan plays the conniving red headed unfaithful two-timing (three-timing) wife who makes`Stanwyck' look virginal. Along for the `ride' is her dense cuckolding sidekick, Frankie, who helps her play Ned like a song over and over.Sherilyn Fenn Plays Laura, an overly attentive secretary and good woman who secretly loves Ned but will wait till Ned figures that out . . . doubtful. Mix these characters together and let the jokes fly. This is one of those films that you will either enjoy the wit or stare in disbelief wondering what's this all about? I have enjoyed this movie several times and each time I pick up a few more jokes. I would give `Fatal Instinct' a 6.9/10 for style, cheese, and creativity.