Movies - TV
Every Kathryn Bigelow Film Ranked Worst To Best
By MOLLY TURNER
10. Weight of Water
"The Weight of Water" tells two stories across two timelines and struggles to anchor itself fully in either. Kathryn Bigelow tries to use the past to draw parallels with the present, but the storytelling is hamfisted, and neither plot is allowed to stand on its own, resulting in a film that is the biggest flop of her career and takes last place on this list.
9. K-19
A submarine action-drama starring Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson, "K-19: The Widowmaker" is technically competent, but the film lacks both Bigelow's personal touches as well as original characters. It turned out to be a financial disappointment, but it does showcase the realism that Bigelow would perfect later in her career.
8. Detroit
"Detroit" is a historical drama that examines the Algiers Motel incident, in which police assaulted a group of unarmed Black people, murdering three individuals. The film has its moments, but it shies away from addressing racism head-on, leaving the viewers wondering what Bigelow has to say about the events depicted in the movie.
7. The Loveless
"The Loveless" — Bigelow's debut feature that she co-wrote and co-directed with Monty Montgomery — is less interested in plot and structure than motif and mood. Bigelow is more concerned with the style of the era and uses lingering shots of the bikers, not any specific story arcs, to
evoke masculinity.
6. Zero Dark Thirty
"Zero Dark Thirty" tells the sprawling story of how the United States military methodically tracked, captured, and assassinated Osama bin Laden over the course of a decade. The film was critically acclaimed, nominated for best picture at the Oscars and Golden Globes, and earned Bigelow a best director nod at the BAFTAs.