By Bob Bloom The following titles are being released on Tuesday, April 23, unless otherwise noted: Destroyer (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) Details: 2018, Fox Home Entertainment Rated: R, violence, language, sexual situations, drug use The lowdown: “Destroyer” is an unappealing mess, distinguished only by a grubby and gritty performance by Nicole Kidman. But even her turn as detective Erin Bell leaves you cold. Bell is a burnt-out shell of a human being; she’s unkempt and disheveled and looks like she has been sleepless for a year or more. Early in her career, Bell was part of an undercover operation that went badly — and its consequences have been haunting her ever since. When she learns the gang leader responsible for the tragedy has come out of hiding after many years, she tracks down the other members of his crew to learn his whereabouts. Along the way, director Karyn Kusama takes us on an existential journey through Bell’s bleak past. Because you have no inducement to care about most of the people with whom Bell interacts, you don’t watch “Destroyer” as much as slog through it. An odor of unpleasantness permeates the entire movie, which is off-putting. Mostly everything about this movie is morally ugly and corrupt. Even the notion of Kidman as a tough, uncompromising and brutal cop is not an incentive to sit through this drama. Watching Bell battle her demons to atone for her past is painful — yet boring, especially since Bell remains constant throughout. She is a brooding, mumbling, avenging angel — seeking revenge rather than justice. Despite fully committing to her part, Kidman cannot elevate “Destroyer” above underwhelming. It is a depressing, impersonal endeavor that will leave you callous and unmoved. I am in the minority in my opinion of the film, as critics gave it a 73 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com.
New to View: April 23
New to View: April 23
New to View: April 23
By Bob Bloom The following titles are being released on Tuesday, April 23, unless otherwise noted: Destroyer (Blu-ray + DVD + digital) Details: 2018, Fox Home Entertainment Rated: R, violence, language, sexual situations, drug use The lowdown: “Destroyer” is an unappealing mess, distinguished only by a grubby and gritty performance by Nicole Kidman. But even her turn as detective Erin Bell leaves you cold. Bell is a burnt-out shell of a human being; she’s unkempt and disheveled and looks like she has been sleepless for a year or more. Early in her career, Bell was part of an undercover operation that went badly — and its consequences have been haunting her ever since. When she learns the gang leader responsible for the tragedy has come out of hiding after many years, she tracks down the other members of his crew to learn his whereabouts. Along the way, director Karyn Kusama takes us on an existential journey through Bell’s bleak past. Because you have no inducement to care about most of the people with whom Bell interacts, you don’t watch “Destroyer” as much as slog through it. An odor of unpleasantness permeates the entire movie, which is off-putting. Mostly everything about this movie is morally ugly and corrupt. Even the notion of Kidman as a tough, uncompromising and brutal cop is not an incentive to sit through this drama. Watching Bell battle her demons to atone for her past is painful — yet boring, especially since Bell remains constant throughout. She is a brooding, mumbling, avenging angel — seeking revenge rather than justice. Despite fully committing to her part, Kidman cannot elevate “Destroyer” above underwhelming. It is a depressing, impersonal endeavor that will leave you callous and unmoved. I am in the minority in my opinion of the film, as critics gave it a 73 percent fresh rating at Rottentomatoes.com.