Police Detective Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman) lives in a state of mere existence. Since surviving a harrowing undercover operation nearly 20 years ago, Bell has struggled to deal with the trauma and is now a ridiculed, loose cannon cop and a failure of a parent. But when her nemesis from her undercover days resurfaces, Bell decides to get revenge and embarks on a journey that could see her lose what little she has left.

There’s no doubting the pedigree of director Karyn Kusama. With films such as Jennifer’s Body, Aeon Flux, The Invitation and a ton of television credits to her name, Kusama is part of the wave of female directors currently reinvigorating the film industry. Already a hit at film festivals, Destroyer is no doubt Kusama’s most artfully made movie to date. Sadly, it doesn’t quite deliver the goods.

Nicole Kidman, on the other hand, does.