Fatal Instinct

Fatal Instinct

Sex, murder and revenge were never this funny.

Directed by Carl Reiner

Produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

199390 min5.5 / 10

A broad, energetic spoof of film noir and erotic thrillers that mines absurdity from murder plots and infidelity without taking any of it seriously.

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

Questions people ask

  • Is Fatal Instinct sad? Barely. Less sad than 89% of films.

  • Is Fatal Instinct easy watching? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

  • Is Fatal Instinct violent? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

  • Does Fatal Instinct end with hope? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

  • Is Fatal Instinct scary? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

39/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

You have seen this shape before.

Rarity69

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise57

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love8

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like Fatal Instinct

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as Fatal Instinct

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like Fatal Instinct, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like Fatal Instinct, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like Fatal Instinct, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

Share thisXBlueskyReddit