Destroyer 2018

     Erin Bell is a LAPD detective and as a young cop she was undercover with a gang.  She lived in the California Desert the gang and this didn’t end well.  Now years later, Erin learns that the head of the gang, Silas has come out again.  It must be because he’s running out of money from a bank robbery the gang pulled off.  Erin will need to work backwards through the remaining gang members and her own history to find Silas. 

     Nicole Kidman doesn’t look like herself at until except in the flashbacks to her back-story with the gang.  She has dark hair in these scenes and she is young looking and beautiful.  As Erin the washed up cop, she is worn out, skinny and not attractive at all.  She puts her all into finding Silas as she still mourns her last experiences with the gang.  4* (I really liked this movie)  

121 min, Action directed by Karyn Kusama with Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Tatiana Maslany, Sebastian Stan, Scoot McNairy, Bradley Whitford, Toby Huss James Jordan, Beau Knapp, Jade Pettyjohn Shamier Anderson, Zach Villa Natalia Cordova-Buckley, Colby French Kelvin Han Yee.

Note:  Imdb 6.2 out of 10, Rotten Tomatoes critic 74% audience 49%, Roger Ebert Sheila O’Malley, The Guardian 4* out of 5* Mark Kermode, Metacritic 62 out of 100 with 44 critics 5.5 out of 10 with 53 user scores (22 Positive, 20 mixed, 11 negative), Amazon 3.3* out of 5* with 157 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Los Angeles, Elysian Park, Bow Tie Park, Masonic Lodge, Whitewater, Inglewood, Cathedral City, Faith Christian Church, Villa Cascata, California.  Nicole Kidman came down with the flu during filming but she continued to work and tried to use her illness in her performance.  During a final scene in a restaurant, she was so sick she could barely stand?  Her persona as the older Erin is constantly in pain and filled with bleakness!!  Sebastian Stan originally auditioned for the role of Silas but Director Karyn Kusama thought he would be better as Chris.  Sebastian met an FBI agent who was on the TV series “Inside the FBI” in New York City and he gave him tips about an FBI job.