Movie reviewers have referred to the film, Basic Instinct, as being misogynistic. What does that word mean?

The term misogyny is derived from the Greek words "miso," meaning hatred, and "gynē," meaning woman. It describes a deep-seated prejudice, contempt, or ingrained distrust of women. This goes beyond simple sexism and can manifest as a belief that women are inherently manipulative, irrational, or inferior. In culture, it often appears in portrayals of women as either one-dimensional objects of desire or as dangerous figures who use their sexuality to cause harm.

When reviewers labeled the 1992 thriller *Basic Instinct* as misogynistic, they were pointing to these very themes. The film's central character, Catherine Tramell, is a classic example of the "femme fatale" archetype—a seductive and powerful woman who is also depicted as a manipulative and potentially murderous predator. Critics argued that this character, and the film's overall narrative, reinforces a worldview where female intelligence and sexual freedom are presented as a direct threat to men, fueling a sense of distrust and fear.

While some have argued that the film's characters are complex and defy easy categorization, the accusation of misogyny stems from the way its female characters are framed almost exclusively through a lens of male fear and desire. The story's perspective suggests that powerful women are fundamentally untrustworthy, which aligns directly with the core meaning of the word.