*My capsule review of Destroyer was originally published on Film Inquiry as part of my first report from Film Fest 919. Click here to read the original post and check out more great reviews from this awesome site!*
Karyn Kusama’s Destroyer is a rare beast, in that it’s both exactly the film you expect and a totally surprising subversion of expectations. The director’s follow-up to The Invitation spends much of its running time delving into the hallmarks of the gritty, nasty L.A. noir genre, bolstered by hard-boiled dialogue and Nicole Kidman’s terrifying performance as a totally broken detective. But it’s when Kusama finally pivots from convention that Destroyer becomes memorably fascinating.
Kidman plays Erin Bell, who is still struggling under the weight of crippling alcoholism and a past trauma that will be slowly uncovered. When the story begins, a group of detectives have discovered a body near a ravine. As Bell stumbles into the scene, she reveals that she knows exactly who's responsible for this murder. Years after a robbery gone wrong, one that left Erin’s true love (Sebastian Stan) dead, the enigmatic Silas (Toby Kebbell) has returned to mess with Erin’s mind once again.
Silas’ return to Los Angeles sends Erin on an investigative spiral, as she chases down leads to find out how the criminal mastermind has gained the finances to support his organization. Bell’s chase leads her to a corrupt money launderer (Bradley Whitford), a fierce former friend (Tatiana Maslany), and a dying associate (James Jordan), all in the hopes of righting a wrong from so many years ago.
The mystery story is compelling enough for a large chunk of the running time, and Kusama directs the film with a kind of grimy bravado that demands admiration. The big set-pieces are obviously well staged, but there’s a palpable feeling of dread to even a few quiet interludes. One sequence involving an impromptu game of Russian roulette had me covering my eyes and holding my breath.
However, as Kusama and screenwriters Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi push forward to the final third, something unusual happens. Eventually, it becomes abundantly obvious that the mystery is exactly what you think it is. There’s nothing complex or shocking happening under the surface. Silas is an empty villain, the devastating central event is thoroughly predictable, and it appears that Destroyer has run completely out of steam. I’ve seen this film compared to Point Break numerous times; more aptly, it’s Point Break if Johnny Utah spent the next 20 years desperately searching for Bodhi after Tyler’s shocking death.
For a few moments, it genuinely feels like Destroyer is in a spiral. And then something even stranger happens. With the help of a wickedly clever structural sleight of hand, Kusama makes the transition from a grungy L.A. thriller to an insightful, honest character study of Bell herself. The noir framework no longer matters, and maybe it never really mattered at all. While we were caught up in the nastiness of it all, something more interesting was bubbling just beneath our feet.
The turning point is a scene between Bell and Shelby (Jade Pettyjohn), her troubled daughter. The film’s main subplot focuses on Erin’s strained familial relationships, which seems superfluous until it suddenly isn’t. Those facades of toughness and extreme violence that prop the film up for so long dissipate completely, revealing a flawed human being’s painful, raw self-reflection. Here, Destroyer’s narrative missteps fade into the background, allowing Kidman and Kusama to take the wheel. And in this moment, everything that came before feels necessary and vital to reach this deeply moving catharsis.
THE FINAL GRADE: B (7.2/10)
Image courtesy of Film Fest 919
Karyn Kusama’s Destroyer is a rare beast, in that it’s both exactly the film you expect and a totally surprising subversion of expectations. The director’s follow-up to The Invitation spends much of its running time delving into the hallmarks of the gritty, nasty L.A. noir genre, bolstered by hard-boiled dialogue and Nicole Kidman’s terrifying performance as a totally broken detective. But it’s when Kusama finally pivots from convention that Destroyer becomes memorably fascinating.
Kidman plays Erin Bell, who is still struggling under the weight of crippling alcoholism and a past trauma that will be slowly uncovered. When the story begins, a group of detectives have discovered a body near a ravine. As Bell stumbles into the scene, she reveals that she knows exactly who's responsible for this murder. Years after a robbery gone wrong, one that left Erin’s true love (Sebastian Stan) dead, the enigmatic Silas (Toby Kebbell) has returned to mess with Erin’s mind once again.
Silas’ return to Los Angeles sends Erin on an investigative spiral, as she chases down leads to find out how the criminal mastermind has gained the finances to support his organization. Bell’s chase leads her to a corrupt money launderer (Bradley Whitford), a fierce former friend (Tatiana Maslany), and a dying associate (James Jordan), all in the hopes of righting a wrong from so many years ago.
The mystery story is compelling enough for a large chunk of the running time, and Kusama directs the film with a kind of grimy bravado that demands admiration. The big set-pieces are obviously well staged, but there’s a palpable feeling of dread to even a few quiet interludes. One sequence involving an impromptu game of Russian roulette had me covering my eyes and holding my breath.
However, as Kusama and screenwriters Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi push forward to the final third, something unusual happens. Eventually, it becomes abundantly obvious that the mystery is exactly what you think it is. There’s nothing complex or shocking happening under the surface. Silas is an empty villain, the devastating central event is thoroughly predictable, and it appears that Destroyer has run completely out of steam. I’ve seen this film compared to Point Break numerous times; more aptly, it’s Point Break if Johnny Utah spent the next 20 years desperately searching for Bodhi after Tyler’s shocking death.
For a few moments, it genuinely feels like Destroyer is in a spiral. And then something even stranger happens. With the help of a wickedly clever structural sleight of hand, Kusama makes the transition from a grungy L.A. thriller to an insightful, honest character study of Bell herself. The noir framework no longer matters, and maybe it never really mattered at all. While we were caught up in the nastiness of it all, something more interesting was bubbling just beneath our feet.
The turning point is a scene between Bell and Shelby (Jade Pettyjohn), her troubled daughter. The film’s main subplot focuses on Erin’s strained familial relationships, which seems superfluous until it suddenly isn’t. Those facades of toughness and extreme violence that prop the film up for so long dissipate completely, revealing a flawed human being’s painful, raw self-reflection. Here, Destroyer’s narrative missteps fade into the background, allowing Kidman and Kusama to take the wheel. And in this moment, everything that came before feels necessary and vital to reach this deeply moving catharsis.
THE FINAL GRADE: B (7.2/10)
Image courtesy of Film Fest 919
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