Destroyer (B- or 2.5/4 stars)
'Destroyer' (directed by Karyn Kusama) is a gritty crime drama starring Nicole Kidman as physically & emotionally damaged LAPD detective Erin Bell, who arrives on the scene of a murder & notices a familiar clue: $$ from an old bank robbery that are stained with purple dye. Perpetually drunk Erin goes on the hunt for who she believes is the killer {... like a bloodhound, really} for bank robber/gang leader, Silas (Toby Kebbell). We learn through copious flashbacks interspersed throughout the film that, nearly 20 yrs. ago, Erin worked undercover alongside a partner, Chris (Sebastian Stan), infiltrating Silas' gang; that she & Chris eventually fall in love on this case is important to how things unfold. Oh, how the past can haunt you.
Back in the now, Erin visits the gang's former members, one by one, searching for clues, but though she is relentless in her pursuits, her progress is slow, & her course is precarious {you feel like something bad could happen around every corner}. All the while, her rebellious, estranged 16 yr. old daughter (Jade Pettyjohn) has been acting out, hanging with older 'bad' boys; echoing her mom's toxic ways. Though Erin wants to steer her daughter in the right direction, she was a neglectful mother, her daughter basically hates her, and with decent-enough reason. As Erin navigates these issues with her daughter, she becomes more embroiled in the case she's taking on and, she realizes that her life hinges on one act of bloody revenge.
So 'Destroyer' is a melange of good & bad components. Nicole Kidman is the main attraction, here. She ages from the glow of youth {smooth skin, shiny brown hair} to a lurching, lumbering train wreck with a hardened face, hair all a shag, & narrow eyes which reflect both distrust & utter agony. She's great, here. And I admire her fearless versatility. Just this year, alone, she's been this title character, a distraught southern mama in Boy, Erased {her best performance this year}, and an ethereal queen of the sea in Aquaman. I guess she really can do it all.
This film contains many secrets & a pretty good twist that I did not see coming. There are moments of suspense & tension. I liked the cinematography; where the use of light & shadow turns L.A. into a palpably creepy film noir setting -- no sunny beach shots here, folks! The supporting cast includes a solid Stan, Kebbell & Tatiana Maslany. And I dug the soundtrack. Now, I did have issues with this film. When the 'plot' isn't generating great suspense or mystery ... the pacing reallllllly slows to a crawl. Also, the script can be quite obtuse, at times. And given the noir crime genre, there's nothing really unique about the story. 'Destroyer' has strengths, but it's also grim, brutal & probably exists mainly as a Kidman vehicle.
Back in the now, Erin visits the gang's former members, one by one, searching for clues, but though she is relentless in her pursuits, her progress is slow, & her course is precarious {you feel like something bad could happen around every corner}. All the while, her rebellious, estranged 16 yr. old daughter (Jade Pettyjohn) has been acting out, hanging with older 'bad' boys; echoing her mom's toxic ways. Though Erin wants to steer her daughter in the right direction, she was a neglectful mother, her daughter basically hates her, and with decent-enough reason. As Erin navigates these issues with her daughter, she becomes more embroiled in the case she's taking on and, she realizes that her life hinges on one act of bloody revenge.
So 'Destroyer' is a melange of good & bad components. Nicole Kidman is the main attraction, here. She ages from the glow of youth {smooth skin, shiny brown hair} to a lurching, lumbering train wreck with a hardened face, hair all a shag, & narrow eyes which reflect both distrust & utter agony. She's great, here. And I admire her fearless versatility. Just this year, alone, she's been this title character, a distraught southern mama in Boy, Erased {her best performance this year}, and an ethereal queen of the sea in Aquaman. I guess she really can do it all.
This film contains many secrets & a pretty good twist that I did not see coming. There are moments of suspense & tension. I liked the cinematography; where the use of light & shadow turns L.A. into a palpably creepy film noir setting -- no sunny beach shots here, folks! The supporting cast includes a solid Stan, Kebbell & Tatiana Maslany. And I dug the soundtrack. Now, I did have issues with this film. When the 'plot' isn't generating great suspense or mystery ... the pacing reallllllly slows to a crawl. Also, the script can be quite obtuse, at times. And given the noir crime genre, there's nothing really unique about the story. 'Destroyer' has strengths, but it's also grim, brutal & probably exists mainly as a Kidman vehicle.