Detroit Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs
5. Kathryn Bigelow's Intense Direction
Unsurprisingly, Kathryn Bigelow directs the Hell out of this film, creating a tightly immersive experience that makes the viewer feel right there with the people caught in the middle of the riots.
With extensive use of handheld cinematography, Bigelow's film frequently looks like a documentary on the subject, pulling in close on its subjects amid immensely chaotic circumstances.
The portion of the movie set in the Algiers Motel is especially well-wrought, with Bigelow exemplifying the claustrophobic nature of the siege and slow-bleeding it for maximum suspense, evoking the feel of a horror movie as much as a gritty historical drama.
Again, it's not quite as assured as her work on her last two movies, but still head and shoulders above what most of contemporary Hollywood is putting out right now.