Blue Steel

Kathryn Bigelow directed and co-wrote this 1990 thriller. Jamie Lee Curtis plays Megan Turner, a New York police officer fresh out of the academy whose first night on patrol ends in a fatal shooting when she confronts an armed man during a supermarket robbery. The robber's revolver disappears from the scene, and with no weapon to account for, the department suspends her and treats her as responsible for killing an unarmed man.

The missing gun has been taken by Eugene Hunt, a Wall Street trader played by Ron Silver, who turns it on the city. He carves Megan's name into the bullets he uses, tying the killings to her and leaving her unable to prove her innocence. Detective Nick Mann, played by Clancy Brown, works the case alongside her as the two try to identify the killer, while Megan remains unaware of how closely connected he is to her life. Elizabeth Peña, Louise Fletcher and Philip Bosco appear in supporting roles.

For Bigelow, the film followed Near Dark and came three years before Point Break. Oliver Stone and Edward R. Pressman produced. On a modest budget, it took in about 8 million dollars worldwide. Critics rated it 6 out of 10 from 28 reviews, close to the 5.8 out of 10 it holds on TMDB from 472 votes, a mild reception from both groups.