Released in 1987 Fatal Attraction is a landmark movie! This was a massive hit and when you look at what would come in the late 80s and through the 90s, this truly was the start of the “erotic thriller” boom. The thing is, even though many followed the formula set here very well, I would still say that Fatal Attraction is one of the best in this genre.
How to Download Fatal Attraction
Fatal Attraction was released on September 18, 1987. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
The Movie Review
The Legacy of Fatal Attraction
Where to start with Fatal Attraction? The movie that gave us the term “bunny boiler” and the iconic quote, “I’m not gonna be ignored, Dan”. Fatal Attraction is a movie about obsession and I would argue that Glenn Close’s Alex is perhaps the most nuts of all the stalkerish characters that have appeared in movies like this over the years.
The Characters and Performances
Actually, I have read many articles and seen a few YouTube videos where people do real deep dives into the character of Alex and it is truly fascinating stuff. Glenn Close has had so many amazing roles over her career (check her out in Air Force One or 102 Dalmatians), but if I were pressed to pick her most iconic role, I do not even think it would be something I had to think of for more than a few seconds, Alex would be my pick.
The Story and Tension
Dan is a lawyer and he lives with his with Beth and their daughter Ellen. Dan is played by Michael Douglas and just like Genn Close, I would say that Dan is one of the defining roles of his legendary career. Dan has a great life, but he has a hookup with a woman called Alex. You get the impression right away that for Dan, it is just about sex, but for Alex, this is something much more.
Dan never wanted to actually be with Alex. However, Alex becomes obsessed with Dan and starts stalking him and his family and starts doing all this crazy stuff. Some of the things that Alex does have you on edge, from slitting her wrists to the famous bunny boiling incident to “kidnapping” Ellen.
Building Suspense
One thing that I think Fatal Attraction does very well is that it just builds the tension the whole way through. The movie does not mess around and lets us know very early on that Alex is crazy. You know that this is not going to end well for pretty much everyone involved and it is one hell of a thrill ride.
The Ending Controversy
I will say that both Glenn Close and director, Adrian Lyne have said that they are not massive fans of the ending. The alternate ending for Fatal Attraction is so much better than the one they actually used. I would not say the theatrical ending is horrible by any means and if you did not know about the other one, it would not be an issue. However, once you hear what that other ending is, I feel that the theatrical one does not hit the mark the same way. With the original ending, I am giving this movie a 9/10!
Final Thoughts
This is a fantastic movie and one that even though I know what is coming, still has me on edge. I picked up the anniversary 4K release they did of this not too long ago and it is fantastic. It has an alternate ending with an amazing introduction from the director. It is one of the better 4K releases of an 80s movie in my opinion. I will say that if you are from the UK, you can actually watch Fatal Attraction for free on the ITV X streaming app so you have no excuse not to watch this.
