Touchstone and Beyond: "Instinct"
Marquee Attraction: Instinct
Release Date: June 4, 1999
Budget: $80 million
Domestic Box Office Gross: $34,105,207
Plot Synopsis
Dr. Ethan Powell, a world-renowned anthropologist, spent two years living amongst gorillas in Africa, when he is captured and charged with murder. Brought home to America and awaiting trial in prison, Dr. Theo Caulder is sent in to evaluate the silent Powell.
In prison, Caulder connects with Ethan and gets him to talk about his time amongst the gorillas. Despite an abusive guard named Dacks, and a lack of care from the warden, their friendship evolves to the point where Powell tells Caulder what really happened amongst the gorillas.
Reeling from the revelation, Caulder believes that at Powell’s hearing, he might be able to get the famed doctor out of prison. He even gets Powell to talk to his daughter Lynn. Just as everything is going well, Powell is provoked into attacking Dacks, and his hearing is postponed.
Caulder fears he has failed. All his work to help Powell seems to have gone up in mist, like the clouds that surround the mountains of Africa, but Ethan Powell has been listening to the young and eager Dr. Caulder.
Just as Caulder has found a new resolve, Ethan Powell has found a new way out.
Standing Ovation
Anthony Hopkins makes the most with his character. He is confined to a silly wig and beard, but his intense staring will captivate the audience and make you care about Ethan.
The setting in the prison makes this a confined claustrophobic experience and it helps heighten the emotions of the main characters.
Time for the Hook
I highly doubt the guards and doctors would walk amongst, as the warden calls them, ‘the psycho’s’, so freely. I mean that is just setting everything up for disaster and feels unrealistic that should have been corrected.
The warden had too much say over what was to happen to Powell. Wasn’t Powell being evaluated as to whether he could stand trial? I mean are there not outside forces that bring in Caulder to evaluate Powell?
How could Theo Caulder be reassigned to the prison? He doesn’t work for the prison system so that just doesn’t make sense.
Bit Part Player
If you pay close attention, one guard appears a couple of times, and he will be easily recognizable. Rex Linn plays Guard Alan, and he is unforgettable, even if his scenes are minor in this film.
Did You Know?
- The movie earned over $10 million on its opening weekend.
- Gooding Jr., and the film were nominated for some not so nice awards for their work on the picture.
- The movie did win a Genesis Award for its work in promoting themes of animal rights.
- The gorillas in the film are all created by the Stan Winston effects group and actors in gorilla suits.
- The movie is partly based on the book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.
- Anthony Hopinks picked up the part after Sean Connery showed little interest in the role of Ethan Powell.
- To capture the realism of the gorillas, director Jon Turteltaub, Stan Winston, and various other members of the crew researched gorillas in the wild on a trip to Uganda.
- Instinct was Spyglass Entertainment’s first produced film.
- Verne Troyer played the gorilla toddler.
- Gary Sinise, Harvey Keitel, and Ed Harris were all considered for the Ethan Powell role.
- Wendie Malick, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Teri Hatcher were all considered for the role of Lynn.
- Wolfgang Petersen was originally going to direct but switched roles and became one of the executive producers.
- Famed film critic Roger Ebert gave the movie 1.5 stars out of 4. He may not have liked the picture, but Ebert did praise the film for its critique of society.
- The film premiered in Orlando, Florida, and on the day of the premiere, Cuba Gooding Jr. added his name and handprints in cement at the Chinese Theatre at Disney MGM Studios.
- Hopkins has stated that he did connect with the loner instinct of Dr. Ethan Powell, and that enjoyed the script, and working with Cuba Gooding Jr.
- Apparently between takes, Hopkins would tease Gooding Jr. by referencing his famous line from Jerry Maguire.
Best Quotable Line
After Caulder tells Lynn that Ethan is very ill, Maura Tierney has a hilarious line that probably isn’t meant to be as funny.
“Really? I thought maybe he was just in a bad mood." I don’t know why I laughed so much. Perhaps it was her delivery that made it memorable.
Bill’s Hot Take
Cuba Gooding Jr. was miscast in the film. I think he is the weakest link of the movie.
Casting Call
- Anthony Hopkins as Ethan Powell
- Cuba Gooding Jr. as Theo Caulder
- Donald Sutherland as Ben Hillard
- Maura Tierney as Lynn
- George Dzundza as Dr. Murray
- John Ashton as Dacks
Production Team:
Directed by Jon Turteltaub
Produced by Touchstone Pictures / Spyglass Entertainment
Written by Gerald Di Pego / Daniel Quinn
My Critical Response
{Snub-Skip this Film, Lifeboat Award-Desperate for Something to Watch, Commuter Comforter-A Perfect Film for Any Device, Jaw Dropper- You Must Watch This Film on a Big Screen, Rosebud Award- This Film is Cinema}
It’s not a bad film, but it’s not a great film either. Instinct gets my Lifeboat Award. If you are desperate for something to watch, then check it out and be amazed by Hopkins. You might be entertained.
Coming Soon
‘Touchstone and Beyond’ returns August 16 with a look back at An American Werewolf in Paris.