Intriguing, well-paced mystery thriller that reveals itself to be Basic Instinct 2.0

Rating: 4/10 (3 January 2015)

I'll cut my typically long review style short to the center of the complaint common among the bad reviews: Gone Girl had been undermined and demolished by the ludicrous plot twists in the last half hour, which un-do the premise and set-up, that incurred a bitter disappointment in me as though the viewer has been toyed with in the last minutes.
Yes, Gone Girl has some gaping plot holes visible in the last half hour, so gaping it caused a vexed, infuriatingly frustrated disbelief in me. The way it happened in the movie doesn't work in the real life, because forensics police investigation is painfully thorough with improvements and reforms following the botched LAPD investigation of the double homicide that could pinpoint O.J. Simpson's culpability.
Good attributes of the movies are good acting across the board -- even the actor Ben Affleck whom I loathe; moody atmosphere with the spectacular cinematography, set-up with the slowly-unfolding plotting (until the last half hour), and the compellingly written and paced mystery thriller aura that is rare in modern movies.
However -- it pains me to say this, knowing David Fincher's prodigious talent but never expected him to bungle so bad as agreeing to film Gillian Flynn's screenplay adaptation -- the last half hour became too much to bear with inane twists and turns that devolve the entire movie to the equivalent of Basic Instinct 2.0, updated and revised for the 21st century.
Gone Girl lays out the standard work in that the plot lures in steady motion, hooks with suspense and intrigue, only to bait with the inane and illogical twists that would be laughable if it were not infuriating for some analytical viewers knowing the basics of detective and forensic investigation.
Like the absurdist spectacle Basic Instinct as the predecessor, with its problematic and ludicrous plotting and idiotic Hollywood logic, the seasoned and learned detectives, agents and forensic/behavioral scientists will have a field day ridiculing Gone Girl pointing out inconsistencies, impossible placements, procedurally oblivious and offensively stereotypical characterization (e.g., trusting idiot detective and the group of idiot FBI agents in one scene), glaringly obvious clues, and behavioral science holes.
To think David Fincher accepted this movie project to direct, ignoring its astounding plot holes among other vexing crises delineated above, is disappointing in view of his somewhat stellar filmography. It's apparent Mr. Fincher badly needed a directing job instead of marooning in boredom at home so he jumped into Gone Girl project with haste without measurably judging the script and even the novel, by the same author, to discern it's agreeably ludicrous for his liking so he could have turned it down and pick another project that's not just as ridiculous.
David needs to be discretionary in choosing the scripts, now that he directed what could be his worst movie since either Alien 3 (not his fault given the history of studio interference, but shows his amazing visual and nascent film directing talent) or Fight Club (unrestrainedly self-indulgent, mean-spirited and ludicrously perplexing). Panic Room is arguably Fincher's weakest film, not to mention illogical, fake and pretentious. Ultimately, it comes down to the screenplay that could correspond with the director's strengths or frail due to indecision, confusion and laziness.
Gone Girl is certainly an embarrassing misfire, as the meandering and inanely twisted last half hour effectively destroyed the good portion of the entire set-up that dissipated the mysterious aura with the reach and conclusion that are so ludicrous the audience is flummoxed with vexed contention, being insulted to a degree as if the movie expects to be plausible.
The movie is entirely implausible made by the ill will (mocking the audience) of the last half hour, which reflects Gillian Flynn's attitude that tries to pull the trick off the sleeve in a homage to Alfred Hitchcock and Brian De Palma, but comes off as rather inept, not to mention impossible.
Indeed, to reiterate, Gone Girl is a spiritual successor to the semi-classic erotic noir mystery thriller Basic Instinct (disregarding the sequel said to be an abysmal failure), given the similarity of the plot line with Michael Douglas character substituted as the husband and Sharon Stone character as the disappeared wife.
Not a whole lot of original, either. And it should never have been made into the movie; leave the novel unadapted as a Basic Instinct ripoff which it is.
Dave, try again and choose scripts wisely. Your choice of Gone Girl with its chasm-wide plot holes is unbecoming your body of script literate-quality work and even your literacy intelligence. Excellent visual flair, always, but juvenile high school story that gets a C minus.
** of 4