It's true--this film was directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas (the wonderful team who brought us
Showgirls), but it's still worth seeing, believe it or not. First of all, it's pretty good as a suspense thriller. Some of the time you actually wonder what will happen next. Secondly, there are some great shots of San Francisco and the surrounding areas throughout the film. Lastly, the sex scenes are rather spectacular (if not necessarily sensuous). Plus, it's just a classic. There is, after all, the famous crotch-shot scene. I don't want to make it sounds as if the movie is amazing, even though, in the director's commentary, Paul Verhoeven often likens himself to Hitchcock. It's decent and interesting. Naturally, though, it has its share of clichés, cheesy lines, moments of bad acting, and occasional predictability. Beware of sharp objects--lots of stabbing here!
--A.Y.