"is a film that clearly takes a stand on highlighting how, in the world, there are no good or bad people, only decisions that are made for better or worse"

Presented at the London Film Festival and worth a Golden Globe nomination for Nicole Kidman, Destroyer is a film about revenge and how far a woman will go to redeem herself. The story follows Erin Bell, a fallen police detective as she sets about trying to solve a murder involved in a drug and money laundering case from her past.

At first the plot seems to proceed in a linear fashion, however, the more the story unravels and with more details uncovered for the audience, the more it transpires that the timeline, apart from jumping between present and past, is also moving backwards, following Erin on her quest to make peace with her past as if it was shown from end to beginning.


Although Destroyer is a crime and action drama, in the film, there is also room for love. Erin is shaped by her past. She falls in love with her work partner during their undercover mission and, when everything goes south, she spends the rest of her life trying to make amends for her family and herself.

Nicole Kidman’s performance is flawless. Her character is moved by raw emotions and Kidman doesn’t shy away even from the physical challenges thrown at her character. The make up department changed her features completely and it aids in creating a more convincing change in Erin.

Nicole Kidman brings to the screen a complex woman seeking revenge as well as peace after a tumultuous life as a police detective, a woman who had to fight for her place in the world and that wanted to be taken seriously for her work.

Along with Kidman, among the rest of the cast, Tatiana Maslany is the other strong female supporting actress who shines for her talent on screen. Her ability to completely lose herself in every performance is outstanding and in Destroyer she compliments Nicole Kidman in every scene that they share.

As far as action drama movies go, Destroyer is a film that clearly takes a stand on highlighting how, in the world, there are no good or bad people, only decisions that are made for better or worse for everyone, at some point in their lives, will have to live with the consequences. It tells a story about a woman who is ready to sacrifice herself to finally close a painful chapter in her life and it does so in a compelling style that engages the audience until the surprising end.