Fatal Instinct

Play trailer

Fatal Instinct

PG-13

1993

1h 28m

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

14%

Tomatometer

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.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Brian Lowry

Variety

Sep 30, 2008

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

Go to Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Sep 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.

Go to Full Review

Janet Maslin

New York Times

May 20, 2003

2.5/5

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

Go to Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Aug 9, 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.

Go to Full Review

Malcolm L. Johnson

Hartford Courant

May 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.

Go to Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Jan 3, 2014

2/4

A continuously ineffective parody picture...

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Landon J

@Minxsykitty Jul 28, 2026

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".

See more

Frans B

@FransB Mar 14, 2026

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

See more

Gregory N

@RT36091242 Sep 14, 2025

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

See more

Horror fan 4

@Horrorfan4life May 28, 2025

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

See more

Will G

@Kingofthepixies Apr 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.

See more

thiago s

@Thiagostone Jan 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.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

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

Now Playing

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

1:30

Now Playing

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - A Kinky Affair

1:36

Now Playing

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

0:41

Now Playing

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - Courtroom Battle of the Century

2:46

Now Playing

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

1:42

Now Playing

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - Bumper Cars and Cue Cards

2:09

Now Playing

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

3:04

Now Playing

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - Got 'Em

1:37

Now Playing

Fatal Instinct: Official Clip - Max Shady

1:20

Now Playing

View more videos

Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde

35%

37%

Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde

Watchlist

Dirty Work

20%

66%

Dirty Work

Watchlist

Honeymoon in Vegas

65%

36%

Honeymoon in Vegas

Watchlist

Dumb & Dumber

69%

84%

Dumb & Dumber

Watchlist

Amos & Andrew

17%

31%

Amos & Andrew

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

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

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings