The Hurt Locker Details

[Highly rated reviewer]

"If I'm gonna die, I want to die comfortable."

Premiering at the 2008 Venice Film Festival, 'The Hurt Locker' received a ten minute standing ovation at the end of its screening. Subject to much critical praise, the film will finally reach British shores with its theatrical release in August 2009. Few films about the conflict in Iraq or Afghanistan have managed to capture the essence of what it means to be fighting in a country where anyone and everyone is a potential enemy, and the understandable stresses that places on the human mind and body. With a highly realistic aesthetic and almost non-stop tension 'The Hurt Locker' allows us mere mortals a glimpse of what it really means to fight for your country.

Opening with a regular day for an 'Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit' (bomb squad to you and me) the film starts as it means to go on with a very sudden and violent end for one of the team. Sergeant First Class William James (Jeremy Renner) is moved in to replace the lost soldier, and he is quick to prove to his fellow team members that he is a lot less concerned with his own safety then his predecessor. This is aptly shown when he suits up in the 'bomb suit' to investigate a suspected device personally rather than send in the bomb disposal robot first. Understandably his new colleagues aren't impressed, particularly Sergeant J.T. Sandborn (Anthony Mackie) who has trouble adjusting to a team leader who takes his earpiece out whenever the word “withdraw” is mentioned. The last member of the team, Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty), is also disturbed by the change in the team, but is too busy dealing with his own guilt over the death that brought James into their unit to really get worked up about him.

With the characters established the story takes us through a selection of the incidents the unit have to deal with during their rotation, not least of which is a sniper shoot out in the Iraqi desert, which is so painfully accurate it’s almost uncomfortable. Kathryn Bigelow (director of “Strange Days” and “Point Break” among others) amps up the tension in every scene of the conflict, keeping the audience not only on the edge of their seat but at times making them fall off it, and making you question if these highly likable characters are going to make it.

Excellent performances round out an almost perfect film, with believable dialogue and very naturalistic acting from not only the leads but the supporting cast and the extras, many of whom were genuine Iraqis living in Jordan, where the film was made. Combined with the camera work, that resembles embed journalist film rather than Hollywood shots, “The Hurt locker” amounts to a fantastic film experience, that still manages to not trivialise its subject matter, and will leave audiences wondering – “is it wrong that I don’t want this to end?”

BE WARNED!This is not just another war movie....

War movies are not usually my cup of tea.I find the killing and bleakness of war too depressng for words, but this isn't just any war movie.This movie was a work of collaboration between Mark Boal (journalist who was embedded in the EOD in Iraq) and Bigelow, who produced a worthy work of art. The intended reason to make this film was to put the spotlight on the unsung heroes of war: the Explosive Ordanance Disposal Squad. The army elite that look for and disarm bombs. Soldier venacular refers to an explosion as being sent to the hurt locker, hence the title of the movie. To me this movie felt like it was shot as a documentary, but with alot more substance. Renner who plays William James was flawless in this role.What really scared me is that the characters are based on people Boal met while embedded in EOD. Basically to me this film is about the relationship between life and death. We follow the team headed by James and with Sanborn and Eldridge coming along for the ride.Each of them deals with the trials of their job differently. Eldridge gets hurt and it is really interesting to see James lack of reaction towards him.Sanborn looks at death in the eyes and he realises in the end that he wants to go home and have a family, something he wasn't too keen on in the first place. The most fascinating character for me was William James who is unlike Sanborn and Eldridge because he has clearly lost some of his humanity. He pursues danger unncessarily (which is why Eldridge gets shot) and you get the sense he only feels truly alive when he is looking at death in the face. The only thing more dangerous than the enemy is being in a squad with a man like James because he has a complete disregard for his own safety and the safety of others. He is a man that lives too close to the edge. I feel sorry for the character because in the end all he has left of his humanity is his love for the 'fix' the need to feel the danger coursing throw this veins and the tick tock of what one day will be invevitable for him:death. It is sad that for someone like James the prospect of civilian life and family just doesn't do it for him .....because somewhere along the line as he explains to his baby in the end he only loves one thing and that love is a very sad one indeed. A gripping movie, done with a masterful touch that allows you to look deep into the psyche of those involved in such a dangerous job.A remarkable film, not to be missed.