Basic Instinct is a psychological theory.
Basic Instinct . The film follows a police detective , Nick Curran ( Douglas ) , who is investigating the brutal murder of a wealthy rock star . The film has contemporarily been recognized for its groundbreaking depictions of sexuality in mainstream Hollywood cinema , and has been referred to by scholars as `` a neo-noir masterpiece that plays with , and transgresses , the narrative rules of film noir . '' A 2006 sequel , Basic Instinct 2 starring Stone was made without Verhoeven 's involvement , but received negative reviews from critics and was unsuccessful at the box office .