Kathryn Bigelow's films, ranked
The top 3 according to 126 votes from people: Zero Dark Thirty (2012) · The Hurt Locker (2008) · Near Dark (1987). (Updated Oct 8, 2025.)
From vampires and surfing bank robbers to Iraq and Detroit: Bigelow's films from The Loveless to Detroit, ordered from TheWrap and Metacritic.
Top 10
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1
Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Jessica Chastain on the hunt for Bin Laden.
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2
The Hurt Locker (2008)
A bomb-disposal team in Iraq; Best Picture and the first Best Director Oscar for a woman.
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3
Near Dark (1987)
A vampire western; her first solo feature.
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4
Strange Days (1995)
Ralph Fiennes deals in recorded memories on the eve of 2000.
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5
Point Break (1991)
Keanu Reeves undercover among Patrick Swayze's surfer bank robbers.
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6
Blue Steel (1990)
Jamie Lee Curtis as a rookie cop stalked by a killer.
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7
Detroit (2017)
The Algiers Motel incident during the 1967 riots.
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8
The Loveless (1982)
A young Willem Dafoe leads a biker gang; co-directed with Monty Montgomery.
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9
K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)
Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson aboard a Soviet nuclear submarine.
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10
The Weight of Water (2000)
Two murders a century apart, with Sean Penn and Catherine McCormack.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (1)
Near Dark is so underrated. Glad to see it this high, most people only know Point Break.