paul verhoeven predecessor to his breakout hit basic instinct be a stylish and shock neo noir thriller . verhoeven have become know for make somewhat sleazy trash film and both in his native holland and in america and this film be one of the reason why . the fourth man follow the strange story of gerard reve ( play by jeroen krabbé ) while a gay and alcoholic and slightly mad writer who go to vlissingen to give a talk on the story he write . while there and he meet the seductive christine halsslag ( renée soutendijk ) who take him back to her house where he discover a handsome picture of one of her lover and proclaims that he will meet him and even if it kill him . paul verhoeven twist the truth many time in this film and and that ensure that you never quite know where you be with it . many of the occurrence in the fourth man could be what they appear to be and but they could easily be interpret a something else entirely and this keep the audience on the edge of their seat for the duration and and also make the film work a this narrative be what it thrive on . paul verhoeven be not a filmmaker that feel he have to restrain himself and and that be one of thing i like best about him . this film feature a very shocking scene that make me feel ill for hour afterwards ( and that doesn not happen very often . ) . i wont spoil it because it need the surprise element to work . but you will see what i mean when you see the film ( make sure you get the uncut version . ) . there be also a number of other macabre scene that be less shock than the one i have mention and but be lovely nonetheless while a man get eat by lion and another one have a pipe send through his skull and a boat be smash in half . lovely . the acting in the fourth man isn not anything to write home about and but it solid throughout . jeroen krabbé hold the audience attention and look the part a the drunken writer . it be renée soutendijk that impress the most and though and a the femme fatale at the centre of the tale . her performance be what sharon stone would imitate nine year later with basic instinct and but the original fatale do it best . paul verhoeven direction be solid throughout a he direct our attention through numerous point of view and all of which help to create the mystery of the story . verhoeven have go on to make some rubbish and but he obviously have talent and it a shame that he doesn not put it to well use . of all the verhoeven film i have see and this be the best and although it might be difficult to come across while trust me and it worth the effort .