Fatal Instinct

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Fatal Instinct

PG-13

1993

1h 28m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

14%

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22 Reviews

41%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Ned Ravine (Armand Assante) is a police officer and lawyer who occasionally defends the delinquents he arrests. He crosses paths with a seductive femme fatale, Lola Cain (Sean Young), during an assignment and promptly begins an affair with her. Meanwhile, Ned's wife, Lana (Kate Nelligan), is deep in an affair of her own. Lana and her lover, Frank (Christopher McDonald), are planning to murder Ned in an elaborate fashion so they can collect on his triple indemnity life insurance policy.

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Brian Lowry

Variety

09/30/2008

The filmmakers have provided critics ample artillery by prominently featuring a skunk in this thuddingly flat spoof of erotic thrillers.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

09/30/2008

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.

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Janet Maslin

New York Times

05/20/2003

2.5/5

A collection of gags that vary much too wildly in terms of timing and wit.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

08/09/2023

5/10

There aren’t enough great moments to make this production altogether entertaining – despite a few solid, littler chuckles and some clever, noirish, metaphoric blunders.

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Malcolm L. Johnson

Hartford Courant

05/29/2018

Taken on its own, Fatal Instinct is rarely hilarious and only fleetingly suspenseful. About all it offers is a series of trivia games, as hardcore movie buffs guess the sources and whisper eagerly to one another.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

01/03/2014

2/4

A continuously ineffective parody picture...

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Landon J

@Minxsykitty 9h

A really authentically good and enjoyable alternative to the likes of "Airplane" and "Police Squad". Some really great antics and fun moments. Reminded me a lot of "Loaded Weapon".

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Frans B

@FransB Mar 14

Quite enjoyed it. Must have been one of the most "dead" deadpan comedies of it's time. Some clever parodies and memorable quotes. Whole stellar cast excels convincingly in character. Some of Carl Reiner's weirdest work. More funny peculiar than funny haha

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Gregory N

@RT36091242 Sep 14

"Fatal Instinct" with a PG rating? Something stinks here.

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Horror fan 4

@Horrorfan4life 05/28/2025

A very funny parody of erotic thrillers. Most notably body heat, sleeping with the enemy,fatal attraction and basic instinct. Tim Treakle

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Will G

@Kingofthepixies 04/18/2025

Some bits of this are awful, but when it hits the mark it's hilarious, loved the skunk on the roller coaster. The cast play it deadpan. Gonna be a cult classic.

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thiago s

@Thiagostone 01/10/2025

Filme ruim, o roteiro é fraco, a paródia do filme é uma só e não tem graça, com o elenco que nem ajuda.

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Carl Reiner

Director

Armand Assante

Ned Ravine

Sherilyn Fenn

Laura Lincolnberry

Kate Nelligan

Lana Ravine

Sean Young

Lola Cain

Christopher McDonald

Frank Kelbo

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - You Smoke Too Much

2:07

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - You're Screwing My Wife

1:30

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - A Kinky Affair

1:36

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - You Bond With It, You Buy It

0:41

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - Courtroom Battle of the Century

2:46

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - Who Can Say No to a Wiener?

1:42

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - Bumper Cars and Cue Cards

2:09

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - I Hear You Go Both Ways

3:04

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - Got 'Em

1:37

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - Max Shady

1:20

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Synopsis

Ned Ravine (Armand Assante) is a police officer and lawyer who occasionally defends the delinquents he arrests. He crosses paths with a seductive femme fatale, Lola Cain (Sean Young), during an assignment and promptly begins an affair with her. Meanwhile, Ned's wife, Lana (Kate Nelligan), is deep in an affair of her own. Lana and her lover, Frank (Christopher McDonald), are planning to murder Ned in an elaborate fashion so they can collect on his triple indemnity life insurance policy.

Director: Carl Reiner
Producer: Pierce Gardner, Katie Jacobs
Screenwriter: David O'Malley
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Rating: PG-13 (Off-Color Humor)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 29, 1993, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 13, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $7.6M
Runtime: 1h 28m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo