Sliver (1993)

OK, so first let's get these out there: It's not a perfect movie. And it's not a really quotable movie. But for some reason, this movie stuck in my head for a long time after watching it (and not at all because of the sex scenes). The concept has basically never been used before or since (to my knowledge), and is strangely relevant even today 25 years later (geez, has it been that long?) what with the ongoing privacy concerns. I found that core concept (which I can't really discuss due to spoilers) compelling and unique. Billy "Duckface" Baldwin wasn't that impressive other than his physical presence (and that the gaming/computer nerd in me loved some of his 90's period-paraphernalia, such as a Sid Meier's Civilization poster, a Macintosh PowerBook Duo Dock, Nine Inch Nails and Megadeth posters, and a few hints that he was a gamer); Sharon Stone looked sexy and gorgeous as was probably expected (in one scene she's wearing a choker... so hot... which have finally come back into fashion today!). The thriller "whodunit" keeps-you-guessing plot worked for the most part. The movie certainly (in my opinion of course) didn't deserve the trashing it got.To me the star of the show here was the unique concept and the thoughtful questions it raises long after the credits roll. And the soundtrack (still one of my favorite movie soundtracks ever! Alternative 90's gold, I say!)I award this 90's underrated artifact an 8/10

At the time of its initial release "Sliver" was billed as an erotic thriller. Its Hungarian-American writer Joe Estzerhas was highly popular due to his successful scripts which were huge box office hits in Hollywood. This influenced Australian director Philip Noyce to such a large extent that he decided to helm a film project based on his script. This film was made in early nineties, a highly productive phase for actress Sharon Stone who starred in two successful "erotic" thrillers. Sliver features a very risky romantic relationship between a heterosexual couple in which the 'true identity' of the male lover is not known. It is the excessive use of surveillance cameras as a tool to spy upon people which propels the film's central premise. Actor William Baldwin plays the role of the character who takes immense pleasure in pursuing this activity. Apart from its excessive focus on mystery as a narrative device to mesmerize viewers, director Phil Noyce and Screen writer Joe Eszterhas are able to move their film forward with extreme caution as the answer to the vital question about who is the killer is neither revealed nor understood by audiences until the very end. This substantial quality enables Sliver to be hailed as an intelligent thriller.

Philip Noyce directed this steamy thriller that stars Sharon Stone as Carly Norris, a book editor moving into a New York apartment building owned by young Zeke Hawkins(played by William Baldwin) with whom she begins an affair, not knowing that he has secretly wired the entire building with his closed circuit television where he can watch all the tenants like a TV series. Tom Berenger plays Jack Landsford, an author who is also a murder suspect, as someone is murdering female tenants in the building, and Carly may be next... Misfired thriller is hopelessly muddled and unsatisfying, though Sharon Stone's sexy performance is by far the best thing about it.

For long time, Basic Instinct and Sliver were two movies that I avoided watching. The general talk around me about these two movies was that both starred Sharon Stone and the primary theme of the movie was sex. But somewhere as time passed, I ended up giving the movie "Basic Instinct" a try and realized that in spite of being loaded with steamy sex scenes, the movie still had a story and some substance. There was indeed a lot of confusion throughout the movie which makes you wonder what happens next and maybe lay down a bet to predict the end of the movie. What I am trying to say is that, the movie is enjoyable, not for the sex but more so for the story and the element of thrill.Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about this movie "Sliver", which I ended up watching in the hope that maybe people were wrong (as in case of Basic Instinct) that this movie was just sex. And yes, because the story is hardly gripping, the movie does end up being a movie which is all about sex. I was severely disappointed with this movie. The story line did not impress me much and Sharon Stone's character was annoying to say the least. Hardly anything in her character that you can like or sympathize. Nothing! Very shallow! The movie centers around an apartment owned by a pervert with money enough to wire the whole apartment with cameras so that he can watch everyone doing anything and I mean it - anything. The story (if there is something called a story) is lame. It follows how Sharon's character eventually finds this out and how she deals with this discovery and blah blah blah! A very predictable end once you are through to the last forty minutes of the movie. Of course, that does not mean, the earlier part is interesting. It is just a pervert's dream come true and nothing else.All and all, I can say that this is one of the movies you can safely avoid. Even a bad movie, I say to people, go and watch so that you know it is bad. But here is a movie, I can say, there is no need to even watch. You will not be missing anything. And if you are Sharon Stone's fans, well, I don't know what to say. I guess there is nothing much I can say.Overall, disappointing.