Tanya’s Score: Okay* (but barely)
Rated: 14A
Starring: Nicole Kidman – all uglied up
Plot: A police detective (Kidman) haunted by her past reconnects with specific individuals in order settle a score.
Tanya’s Verdict: This one was a huge disappointment. Within the first 15 minutes of Destroyer I knew there would be trouble. The conversations were all whispered and tense – not to mention muddled to the point where I had no idea what was going on. The musical score was annoyingly dramatic from the get-go.
Kidman in her ugly make-up doesn’t bring much else to this film. I hate to break it to her – but bad skin and hair do not equate substance. Which is curious considering I know she can act – but in this film she’s a dull rock instead of the shining gem she could have been. She’s scarily scrawny in ill-fitting clothes – similar to the on-screen scarecrow Clint Eastwood emulated in his recent dud The Mule. Her character lumbers through scenes, lurching from one interaction to another with nothing really compelling or driving the plot forward.
The brief glimpses into her past were the only parts of the movie I somewhat enjoyed – although enjoy may be too strong a word – more like tolerated.
My suggestion to you: give Destroyer a pass.
*Four score descriptions: Sh**; Okay; Good; Great