Kathryn Bigelow is one of the leading directors in the industry, well-known for her dynamic visual storytelling, immersive action sequences, and the social and political themes within her latest films.
She’s highly renowned for subverting traditional gender roles, especially through the portrayal of strong female characters and a nuanced examination of masculinity. She was the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director (The Hurt Locker). Bigelow has had a groundbreaking impact on the industry since the 1980s as a director who breaks boundaries and redefines them.
But what is it about Bigelow and her films that stand apart from her directing peers? What are some of the trademarks of her cinematic stories that have come to represent her unique style?
You know you’re watching a Kathryn Bigelow film when you see these five trademarks.
Rookie Characters Navigating Intense New Worlds
Kathryn Bigelow’s movies have consistently showcased a rookie-like character thrust into an intricate and challenging world. It’s a theme she has masterfully woven into her body of work. Featuring a rookie character allows the audience to live through their discovery of both the light and dark sides of their initial aspirations while introducing internal and external conflicts the characters must go through.
- Near Dark features Caleb Colton (Adrian Pasdar), a young man suddenly plunged into the perilous and unfamiliar world of vampires.
- In Blue Steel, we see rookie cop Megan Turner (Jamie Lee Curtis) grapple with the harsh realities of her dangerous job and the psychological toll it takes.
- Point Break showcases rookie FBI agent Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) entering the Los Angeles bureau’s bank robbery division as well as the surf culture of the criminals he is trying to collar.
- The Hurt Locker reverses the rookie dynamic by having two supporting characters meeting a protagonist who is a veteran of defusing bombs. He’s a complicated risk-taker, and they are forced to deal with the ramifications of his actions.
- In Zero Dark Thirty, Maya (Jessica Chastain) is a young CIA analyst who delves into the shadowy realm of counterterrorism.
- Detroit features rookie security guard Melvin Dismukes (John Boyega), who finds himself in the middle of the 1967 Detroit riots. This setting is fraught with racial tension, violence, and moral ambiguity, pushing Dismukes into situations that challenge his identity, beliefs, and sense of duty.
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‘Zero Dark Thirty’ (2012)
Kathryn Bigelow’s Trademark Gritty Action and Violence
The work of Kathryn Bigelow often includes realistic and gritty action scenes, accompanied by cinematic violence that was initially handled in a somewhat seductive way at times (in her early work in the 1980s and 1990s) but slowly became more and more visceral and realistic in her more recent work.
Blue Steel and Point Break are two standout (and underrated) action thrillers of the late 1980s and early 1990s. In these movies, she presents the action and violence with an in-your-face approach that Bigelow had often stated as her type of way to present adrenaline-induing cinema.
By the 2000s, she shifted gears to a more realistic approach to action sequences, putting you in the action, as opposed to using more stylistic cutting and angles. When you watch The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, and Detroit, you’ll see that her action follows an almost documentary-like approach to where the camera is and how the action and violence are depicted.
In The Hurt Locker, you feel as if you’re part of a documentary crew following the protagonist through the streets of Iraq.
The climax of Zero Dark Thirty is especially intense, as we see this historical raid happen through a documentary-like lens, which eventually shifts to a first-person perspective via night vision goggles.
Even the latter film’s controversial torture scenes feel perhaps a bit too real (but necessary to portray).
Strong Female Characters
Kathryn Bigelow has created several strong female characters throughout her movies, each distinct in complexity and depth.
When these strong female characters are the leads, they command the screen as they maneuver through a male-centric world. Even when Bigelow’s strong female characters are supporting figures, they stand out with their strength and resilience.
- Megan Turner in Blue Steel: The rookie NYPD officer faces the dangers of her job and the challenge of being a woman in a male-dominated profession. Turner is resilient, competent, and determined.
- Tyler (Lori Petty) in Point Break: While not the central character, Tyler is a tough and independent surfer who stands out in the predominantly male surf community.
- Maya in Zero Dark Thirty: A young CIA analyst dedicated to the hunt for Osama bin Laden. She is depicted as intelligent, tenacious, and unwavering in her pursuit of the truth, breaking barriers in a field dominated by men.
Bigelow’s films often showcase female characters breaking stereotypes and navigating challenging environments. She has always been committed to portraying strong, multidimensional women in cinema.
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‘Point Break’ (1991)
Social and Political Themes in Recent Films
Kathryn Bigelow’s last three films (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, and Detroit) have been renowned for their engagement with social and political themes. These films reflect contemporary social issues and ethical dilemmas in the modern world.
The Hurt Locker delves into the psychological impact of war, specifically the Iraq War, exploring the addictive nature of war’s adrenaline rush, the mental strain on soldiers, and the challenges they face in adjusting to civilian life. We also see themes of heroism, masculinity, and the personal cost of warfare as well.
Zero Dark Thirty tackles the decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden post-9/11. It controversially included the use of torture for gathering intelligence, raising ethical questions about such methods. Her film is a deep look into contemporary war, terrorism, and how both sides are dealing with the ethical struggles of each.
Set against the backdrop of the 1967 Detroit riots, Detroit addresses contemporary racial tensions in the United States by highlighting issues of police brutality, racial injustice, and the systemic nature of these problems in American society.
While she started as more of a genre director in the 1980s and 1990s, Bigelow has become an influential cinematic voice behind some of the most important social and political topics today.
‘The Hurt Locker’ (2009)
Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal Collaborations
Kathryn Bigelow’s career shifted drastically from her earlier genre days. A big part of that was her eventual collaboration with screenwriter and journalist Mark Boal.
Boal’s background in journalism, particularly in investigative and embedded reporting, brings a unique sense of realism and authenticity to his screenwriting. He was a contributing editor at Rolling Stone and had written for many other publications, focusing on topics related to defense, national security, and intelligence.
Boal produced and wrote Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker, earning him Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. He and Bigelow continued their successful collaboration with Zero Dark Thirty, bringing him further acclaim with Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. They joined forces once again for Detroit for their third significant collaboration.
Because their collaboration changed the course of both of their careers, it’s almost a given that they will likely collaborate again. Hence, Boal has become one of Bidelow’s greatest trademarks.
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These are just five of the director’s trademarks. Keep an eye out for them as you watch her films. And as you do, which other common Kathryn Bigelow trademarks have you noticed?
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Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.
He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries Blackout, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller Hunter’s Creed, and many Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies and Instagram @KenMovies76
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Author: Ken Miyamoto
