Hell

As a fledgling cop, LAPD detective Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman) and her partner were placed undercover in the California desert to infiltrate a notorious criminal gang, led by terrifyingly unstable frontman Silas. Years later, Erin is still traumatized by her past nightmare, and Silas' reappearance forces her to face her demons. Reluctantly delving back into her painful past, she goes in search of the remaining members of her team, determined to discover Silas' whereabouts and finally close the case that nearly destroyed her. Drenched in sweltering atmosphere and stifling foreboding, this beautifully downbeat detective story is arguably Kusama's most polished and nuanced film yet, recalling Californian crime classics such as Chinatown and To Live and Die in LA. But unlike the testosterone-fuelled hardcore films out there, Destroyer is a distinctly female story, once again proving Kusama's commitment to placing women at the center of narratives, as demonstrated in such diverse work as Fallout and Jennifer's Body. This time, Kusama received strong support from Kidman, whose...