Destroyer is a crime thriller film directed by Karyn Kusama and was released in 2018. The movie stars Nicole Kidman in the central character of LAPD detective Erin Bell. Bell is a tormented and complex character who is haunted by her past. As the movie progresses, we get to see various events from her past through a series of flashbacks as she tries to unravel the mystery of a case that has suddenly resurfaced in the present.
The movie begins with Bell looking haggard and exhausted, seemingly consumed by her demons. She is a cop who has gone rogue and is now investigating a case that has links to her past as an undercover cop. Many years ago, when she was young, Bell was placed undercover in a gang in the California desert. This mission ended tragically and has left her with long-lasting emotional scars.
The leader of that gang, Silas (Toby Kebbell), surfaces decades later, and Bell sees it as an opportunity for redemption. She sets out to bring him down and avenge her past. Along the way, she must navigate through the remaining gang members and her own history with them.
Kidman delivers a stunning performance as Bell. She portrays her character's emotional turmoil with a raw intensity that is at once brutal and captivating. The rest of the cast also does an excellent job of bringing their characters to life, especially Kebbell, who manages to make Silas both terrifying and sympathetic.
The movie's cinematography is one of its highlights. The bleak and desolate landscapes of the California desert are captured beautifully and add to the movie's overall atmosphere of despair and hopelessness.
In conclusion, Destroyer is a gripping crime thriller that is powered by an exceptional performance by Nicole Kidman. It's a movie that is unafraid to delve into the darker aspects of human nature and presents a complex and multifaceted portrait of a troubled character.