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Destroyer
2018 121 min United Kingdom, United States of America R 18+
★6.3
Thriller, Crime, Drama, Action
Director: Karyn Kusama
Trailers
Description
When Erin Bell was a young cop, she was given an undercover assignment that ended badly and destroyed her life. Years later, she must face her demons in order to make peace with her past.
Budget:
$9M
US Gross:
$1.53M
Worldwide:
$5.58M
Starring
Nicole Kidman
Actor
Toby Kebbell
Actor
Tatiana Maslany
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 2019
— Best Thriller
Saturn Awards 2019
— Best Actress
Golden Globe 2019
— Best Actress (Drama)
Saturn Awards 2019
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Saturn Awards 2019
— Best Director
Key opinion
Destroyer is a polarizing neo-noir that centers on a transformative, raw performance by Nicole Kidman. While many appreciate its gritty atmosphere and unconventional narrative, others find the screenplay lacking and the pacing difficult to engage with.
| Acting | Nicole Kidman delivers a transformative, physically raw performance that acts as the film's central anchor. | |
| Cinematography | The film utilizes a gritty, sun-scorched aesthetic and sharp cinematography that effectively captures the atmosphere of a dark, unsparing Los Angeles. | |
| Screenplay | The script is widely viewed as a major weakness, relying on clichéd tropes and failing to provide deep motivation for the characters. | |
| Pacing | The deliberate, slow-burn tempo is perceived as either a thoughtful meditation on trauma or an exhausting, uneven slog. | |
| Production | The reliance on heavy makeup and prosthetics is contentious, with some finding it a bold artistic choice and others dismissing it as a distracting artifice. | |
| Originality | The narrative's non-linear structure successfully creates an intriguing puzzle for some viewers, while others feel it masks a hollow and superficial story. |