Fatal Attraction: Is Alex Forrest misunderstood, or just plain evil?

Okay, so I finally watched Fatal Attraction last night – yeah, I know, I'm late to the party! I've always heard about it but never actually sat down to see it. Glenn Close is absolutely terrifying; I'll give her that. But I'm left feeling… conflicted? Like, Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) is obviously a jerk. He's married, he cheats, and then he tries to erase Alex from his life like she's some dirty secret. Of course, her reaction is WAY over the top, I mean, boiling a bunny? Yikes! But I can't help but wonder if the movie paints her as completely insane when maybe there's something more complex going on. Was she gaslighted? Clearly she had abandonment issues. I know this movie came out in the 80s and the "crazy woman" trope was strong, but it seemed like she was punished unfairly for his actions (obviously, aside from the illegal things she does). So here's my question: Does anyone else think Alex Forrest is a little bit… misunderstood? Or is she just the ultimate villain? And does her characterization hold up now, or is it just a product of its time? What do you guys think? I'm so curious to hear other peoples views on this one.