Fatal Attraction

On the surface, Fatal Attraction is a fully adult (in terms of subject matter and consistency of approach), flawlessly made (anti-)romantic thriller, but the real interpretive fun starts when we go behind the genre mask. What scares an affluent yuppie lawyer, whose life has gone according to plan so far? A murderous stare. Consuming passion. Irresistible temptation. Female sexuality. An irrationality that respects no logical or legal standards. The embodiment of his phobia is an emancipated (i.e. economically self-sufficient) but psychologically unstable woman. She is a feminist of the type that American men in the late 1980s might have shuddered to imagine. She seduces him, she initiates, she is a danger. She is not the man’s wife, who has unquestioningly accepted the role assigned to her by the patriarchy and thus possesses the power necessary to restore harmony (with the final act, she merely keeps her earlier vow and confirms her maternal submissiveness). The film’s happy ending is as false as the idyll between Dan and Alex (there is something deceitful in the “androgyny” of that name). The man has lost the composure that he had in the opening scene. The very idea of femininity itself newly terrifies him, which is illustrated by his fright when his own wife approaches him from behind. What he saw through the looking glass (the white rabbit is not absent here, though it turns out a little differently than it did with Alice), and what he was compelled to see (increased aggression, a reassessment of his view of the relationship between the law and morality), has permanently shaken him. I would like to see a sequel focusing on how Dan recovers from his post-feminist trauma (the series remake attempts to do that, but it ultimately does a disservice to the original and to the characters). The problem is outwardly resolved and the intangibility of the evil that is sown in the protagonist is not dealt with further. Doubts remain hanging in the air, but they are not directly mentioned. Because of the overly simplistic way this is addressed, which was chosen only after the dissatisfied responses of viewers at a test screening, the film actually comes across as chauvinistic. At any rate, Fatal Attraction is a fascinating example of the defensive reaction of men who sensed danger after the second wave of feminism had achieved some successes. 80% (07.07.2023)

Although I've been hooked on Basic Instinct for many years and rarely miss out on watching Disclosure, I always managed to pass on Fatal Attraction. The first half is great, the 80s aesthetic is in full swing, Glenn Close is incredibly attractive and it's all very exciting, but the second half suddenly changes genre and the finale is like a bad joke. If you want to know where the idea of casting Douglas in sexy thrillers came from, seeing Fatal Attraction is key, even if the standalone experience isn't exactly a delight. (23.03.2021)

Adrian Lyne knows how to create a suffocating erotic atmosphere, but that is far from enough for the whole film. We practically learn nothing about the psychopath Glenn Close, her motives, her past, the reason why she acts this way – nothing at all. Her character is flat, like an airport runway, not to mention that she is visually repulsive, so Michael Douglas's infatuation seems very hard to believe, and it’s not really a question of taste. The dialogues are solid, Michael's acting is more than above average, he is fantastic in these “suit and tie” roles and his voice work is captivating. Unfortunately, the psychological connection of the film is somewhat lacking, and when Lyne doesn't know where to go, he throws a white rabbit or an amusement park in our way. The final scene, as traditionally hyped as it is in these types of films, is not exactly good. (02.10.2007)

Excellent actors, with whom you simply want to go through this film, but no matter how great Douglas is, Glenn Close simply takes the lead in this film. If the film didn't occasionally force you to think that it will be something darker at the beginning, she would surprise you with her subsequent behavior. But she manages it even as Cool and emotional, crazy and thoughtful. (29.01.2016)