For the past 80's years, we have seen so many cop movies where men lead, while women take to the role of the damsel in distress or the femme fatale. Films like Chinatown, Heat, Maltese Falcon, Seven, Lethal Weapon, Hell or Highwater, Internal Affairs are the proof that Hollywood rarely give an opportunity to a female to become a Sam Spade.

Karyn Kusama well know for directing Girlfight, The Invitation, the show Halt and Catch Fire and Eon Flux embarked in challenging task of making a film about a female detective hunted by her past who is looking for closure.

Destroyer tells the story of Erin Bell (Nichole Kidman) an LAPD detective who seventeen years ago participate as an undercover agent with her partner Chris (Sebastian Stan) in an operation to rob some banks. Chris and Erin join the gang lead by Silas (Toby Kebbell) who is a psychopath who loves to challenge other members to break them.

Erin and Chris develop a romantic relationship while undercover with Erin eventually becoming pregnant. Karyn Kusama masterfull use the no- chronological structure in the film to help the spectator to dive into Erin's life. In both periods of times, you see how much Erin and the rest of the characters have changed and literally been damaged by those seventeen years.

The film is raw and dirty something that to me is a major achievement by director Karyn Kusama, the rest of the cast is spot on as well. The makeup is amazing, the original score by Theodore Shapiro is the perfect ambiance for this powerful cop drama.