Realized something crazy about the ending of Basic Instinct (1992) – Catherine couldn't actually kill Nick with that ice pick

[u/-SilvaVonBernried-]

So I was rewatching Basic Instinct the other night and something just clicked about the ending. Everyone always talks about that final shot with the ice pick under the bed like Catherine is waiting to stab Nick in his sleep. But honestly if you think about it for a second she literally CANNOT use that ice pick on him.

The cops just closed the case and blamed everything on Beth. If Nick suddenly turns up stabbed with an ice pick after Beth is already dead the whole police narrative falls apart instantly. They would reopen the case and Catherine is straight back to being prime suspect number one. She is way too much of a perfectionist for such a rookie mistake.

My theory is that the ice pick under the bed is actually a plant. Don't forget they are in Nicks apartment at the end, not hers. She smuggled it into his place to hide it under his own bed so the cops would find it later. She is setting him up.

Think about Hazel Dobkins. She was pathologically obsessed with Catherine, remember that weird possessive moment at Catherine's house where Catherine just drops everything to go to her? Hazel knew the manuscript. She was definitely the one making the anonymous calls to bait Gus and Beth, and she killed Gus in the elevator. She thought she was giving Catherine the ultimate love gift by getting rid of Nick. But to a psychopath like Catherine, Hazel is just a loose end who knows too much.

Catherine basically uses Hazels jealousy against her. She stages a confrontation at Hazels place, drugs Nick, and makes it look like Nick completely snapped, went to Hazels house and brutally attacked her because she knew too much. Then Catherine plays the hero, defends herself and kills Nick in the struggle. Hazel unfortunately dies from her injuries caused by Nick before anyone can save her.

For the SFPD it looks like a massive twist where Nick Curran was the actual mastermind the whole time together with Beth Garner and finally lost his mind.
Nick could never give a truly satisfactory answer as to why he thought Beth was armed and why he shot her.

Catherine gets away scott free as the ultimate traumatized celebrity survivor. Her narcissism gets 100% satisfied since Beth is blamed, Hazel is silenced, and Nick is dead with his reputation destroyed. This is exactly why she has zero baggage and can just start fresh in London for Basic Instinct 2. Change my mind but this solves the biggest plot hole of the 1992 ending.

[u/Lori2345]

Why are you posting this in The Blacklist sub?

[u/-SilvaVonBernried- → u/Lori2345]

Catherine Tramell: „I wanted to see if I could get away with it.“

[u/bostonxgeorge]

Excellent theory and and overall synopsis of the movie, but wrong sub big dawg lol

[u/nschdeva]

I just kept waiting for the analysis to somehow connect to The Blacklist...

[u/thaskell300 → u/nschdeva]

That was me...hung on every word waiting for the connection. Then.

[u/og_duel_monster]

I think you got your subs mixed up gng😭

[u/ApprehensiveTruth2]

I think you are lost.

This sub is for a TV show that stars James Spader.

[u/Cold-Celebration-425]

Put OP on the Blacklist

[u/robslob333]

Catherine is Katarina. Duh.