The Australian, a veteran of 44 films who last year became the highest-paid woman in film, has received scathing criticism from loyal fans for a string of uninspiring performances and a dismal choice of roles in recent films.

In the latest, the third rehashing of the 1956 hit, Kidman stars alongside 'James Bond' star Daniel Craig. The film was lambasted by critics in the US on its release in August. The reviews were so poor that Warner Bros cancelled a scheduled press screening in Britain.

Kidman stars as psychiatrist Carole Bennell who, with her colleague Ben Driscoll (Craig), must combat the invasion of a killer extra-terrestrial infection which deprives its victims of sleep, eventually draining them of all emotion.

Bennell, once infected, must strive to stay awake so she can save her missing son. According to many who have seen the film, staying awake is a challenge for the audience too.

This is the latest in a long line of box-office flops for Kidman. Her last acclaimed hit, Cold Mountain, was in 2003.

One critic, writing on the cinematical. com blog, said "Kidman is, of late, taking a wrecking-ball to her film career with one inexcusably awful choice after the other and practically daring fans to turn away from her."

Star turns in Eyes Wide Shut, Moulin Rouge and, in particular, The Hours, consolidated Kidman's reputation as a formidable and versatile actress.

But her latest, described by Empire magazine as "mostly pedestrian, predictable, and riven with continuity errors, " is unlikely to help.