In this weeks episode of the Jamie Lee Curtis Horror Rewatch, Cory and Nathan cross dangerous territory and delve into obsession as they discuss the Kathryn Bigelow directed “Blue Steel”.

Trailer:

Blue Steel (1990):

Megan Turner (Jamie Lee Curtis) is a rookie New York City policewoman who shoots and kills a suspect (Tom Sizemore) with her service revolver while he’s holding up a neighborhood market. The suspect’s handgun lands on the floor of the market in the shopping area as the suspect is blown backward through the front window.

As she continues to the checkout area, Turner nearly steps on the suspect’s handgun directly in front of Eugene Hunt (Ron Silver), a commodities trader, who is also a latent psychopath. Hunt takes the gun and slips away, using it to commit several bloody and brutal murders over the next few days. Because the robber’s weapon was not found at the scene, Turner is accused of killing an unarmed man.

While the officer attempts to clear her name with Chief Hoyt and her superiors, Hunt begins to romance the suspended Turner in a twisted love fetish. Turner arrests him but he is freed by his attorney, Mel Dawson. He begins to stalk Turner at her family home, an uncomfortable place where Turner remembers her mother being physically abused by her dad.

Turner fights to keep her badge and solve the murders with the help of Detective Nick Mann (Clancy Brown), while trying to figure out her relationship with a killer. Hunt turns up at her apartment, injures Turner and kills her best friend, Tracy. This causes Turner to have an emotional breakdown.

She spends the night with Mann, her fellow officer. Mann is ambushed by Hunt when he goes to the bathroom. Turner doesn’t hear the shot because it was muffled. Hunt attacks and rapes her, and she shoots him, but he runs off. Mann is unconscious and taken to the hospital.

Determined to find Hunt and finish him off, Turner finally shoots and kills him after a long and violent confrontation and a bullet wound to her shoulder. She is then taken away in an ambulance.

Summary:

It is a genuine surprise that this film wasn’t bigger. It is a very strong narrative that centres of female empowerment, extreme masculinity, mental illness and gun control. Although heavy handed at times, Bigelow shows her directing chops very early on in her career (this was her effort before really breaking out with “Point Break”). It’s not an easy watch at times either, but you will be surprised by the quick turns when they throw caution to the wind and blindside you with a ballsy shock twist. Jamie Lee Curtis is lifting her game here as new to force cop, Magan Turner, and is joined by a tremendous supporting cast, most notable Ron Silver as the menacing Eugene Hunt and the sympathetic yet rough around the edges Detective Nick Mann played by Clancy Brown. Very solid recommend.

What’s Up Next?:

Jamie Lee Curtis continues her 90’s thrillers, this time as the antagonist in “Mother’s Boys”.

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