Grade: A
“The Hurt Locker” is an Iraq War movie. I do not say this as a caution to make you stay away; Iraq War movies have not generated great box office returns so far. I say it to describe the subject matter of this excellent and compelling drama by director Kathryn Bigelow. And it would be a minor crime if this movie suffers the same fate as other Iraq War movies, (some good some bad), because it is one of the best of the lot and is one of the year's best dramas period.
As a disclaimer I must acknowledge that, like most people, I have never experienced combat. Therefore I cannot speak with authority as to how it feels be in a war zone. However, I am confident enough to say that in “The Hurt Locker” Bigelow has created an entertainment that brings the audience as close as it can get to it without really being there. In this, it is similar to 1998's “Saving Pvt. Ryan”only this movie's scope is less epic than than Ryan's. The primary thing the movie does is depict the daily lives of soldiers. It shows us the boredom of their routine, their easy and sometimes uneasy camaraderie, their longing for home, and the chaos they must face on a regular basis. The movie also does a better job than most war movies in showing us the psychological toll war takes on soldiers. It is amongst the few war movies that I have ever seen with scenes of a soldier talking about his feelings with a therapist. The whole movie feels like a documentary with it's free swinging digital camera work, but the therapy scenes seem particularly intimate. In them we're seeing the soldier's naked confusion, pain, sense of helplessness and fear on display. This is a subplot that serves the movie really well showing the toll war takes on those who fight in it.
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The movie also complicates any attempt by the audience to relegate the characters to easily identified stereotypes. When we first meet Sgt. William James, played by Jeremy Renner, he comes across to us in a certain way. Later on we see him in other scenes that shade our understanding of him such that he avoids pat summation; much like a real person. Renner embodies Sgt. James' contradictions with ease, his performance is the standout of the cast. The excellent Anthony Mackie invests his character Sgt. JT Sanborn with his own layers of complexity. Specialist Owen Eldridge is played by the surprising Brian Geraghty who is the aforementioned soldier in therapy. These soldiers work together in a bomb-defusing squad and their ever-changing relationship dynamics are what drives the movie's “plot-less plot”.
If you come to “The Hurt Locker” expecting a cavalcade of bloody and gory scenes you will be acutely disappointed. The movie is replete with some blood and gore this is unavoidable in a war movie. But most of it's war scenes are chaotic but protracted affairs offering little in the way of cathartic satisfaction. One exemplar of this is a scene of a stakeout in the desert. The bomb-defusing squad comes across of group of British soldiers and then are attacked by snipers in an adobe building and hills in the distance. They take casualties, kill several of the insurgents and then the conflict settles into a suspenseful waiting game. Hours go by as they wait to get opportunities to take out the enemy and they must also be alert to rear attack while they wait. The scene goes on for what some may think is an uncomfortably long time. But the director Bigelow is unafraid to risk inducing impatience in the audience and allows the scene to play out to the movie's advantage. Because as nerve-racking as the scene may appear to us it is nevertheless close to what soldiers in the field experience all the time. Bigelow's genus is her focus on keeping true to her subject and trusting the audience to go along with it.
“The Hurt Locker” is an absorbing and slyly thrilling war drama that vividly depicts the lives of a bomb-defusing unit of soldiers with scarcely a false note. It features strong performances, gripping scenes of combat and suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is plainly one of the best movies that I have seen this year and I urge you to see it to.
(All photos from "Movies.IGN.com")
Comments
I saw this movie last night, and I heartily agree with this review. This is a must see movie for anyone who cares at all about our involvement as people in this war. It's not a political movie, but will increase your respect for the job our soldiers must work at in order to survive. This powerful, gripping masterpiece is worth your time and money to experience, because you will be repaid more than you could ever invest.
NewArtz, thanks for concuring with my review and for sharing your own impressions of it. I agree with what you wrote. Lets hope that it's taken to heart and that The Hurt Locker will get the audience that it deserves :--}
Typical jingoistic, "let's deify the soldiers who are killing people for political reasons" tripe. Flag-worshiping family values pornography.
Melanie Sampson; I'm curious, have you actually seen the movie? I only ask because nothing in the movie came across like this to me. If you did see it and this is your impression, well so be it. But if you haven't I have to say that I didn't see the movie glorifying soldiers the way you crtitize. Nevertheless thanks for your feedback it is appreciated.
Excellent review. I too thought the movie was true to life and something the average non-military experienced American needs to see.
Justsawit:Thanks for your comments I'm glad that you enjoyed the movie as I did.
My son, stationed in Iraq had bought The Hurt Locker there. Apparently it is out on DVD already in other countries. He asked me to go and see it saying that if I wanted to know what his job in Iraq was, that this movie was just about as realistic as it could get.
I encourage everyone to see this so that we can all know the kinds of hell our our loved ones are enduring for our freedom. As the mother of a soldier, it's hard to watch imagining that it is my son running toward danger. Don't sweep this moving under the rug because it makes you uncomfortable to watch. Embrace it and say a prayer for all of the soldiers who are there running toward danger so we don't have to.
I have seen this movie and was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Every American should watch his movie and gain an appreciation for what our soldiers go through in combat. My eyes were opened. My 18 year old son is a U.S. Marine, deploying soon, and I'm scared everyday for him and all the others who serve. I can't see how their lives can be the same afterward. I don't think the average American appreciates this huge sacrifice they make. I am very proud of all of them.
The reason other Iraq war movies have suffered poor box office is because they made the mistake of not portraying the soldiers as the heroes they are. Instead they chose to make them look like crazy blood thirsty animals or give the impression they all hate their jobs and they're only over there because they were to stupid to get into college. I don't want pro war movies I just want filmmakers to tell the truth about the brave men and women who fight and yes sometimes die for us. We have an all volunteer Army, so I wish people would stop pretending that all the soldiers are over there because they don't have any other options. Sorry I didn't mean to get all political, I'm just glad Hollywood finally made a truthful Iraq war film.
Now if only it were out in more theaters. These men ARE heroes, and too many Americans do have that attitude that only those who can't make it in the "real" world join the military. My son joined because he is proud to be an American and he wanted to do something that mattered and might make a difference. I am proud of my son and all those who make the choice to give up their freedoms so that we may enjoy ours.
To all commentators; I'm impressed that this movie has moved so many of you to share your thoughts here at this site. This is one of the reasons I do this, to not only give my opinion on a movie but also to allow others to express. I'm very pleased that you've used this page as a forum to talk about the movie, the war, the soliders, and anything else that you feel is relevant. I also applaud everyone for not only your candor but for your civility. I have the wherewithal to delete offensive comments but despite a lively exchange from I haven't had to and that's a credit you all. Thanks always for your participation :--}
I haven't seen the movie yet, and was surprised to see it produced. Having been a former 55D (now 89D), I never thought we'd be the focus of a movie. I've heard from friends who have seen it that the job has been hollywooded a good bit. Many of the risks taken in the movie are not something an EOD specialist would take in field operations. To the people that think the movie is just Flag Worshipping, I'm probably not going to change your opinion, but will leave you with this: 89D soldiers spend more time working on haz pay during peacetime than any other MOS, cleaning up the minefields of conflicts all over the world that had nothing to do with our flag waving. We work with the U.N. and other humanitarian demining efforts in hazardous areas all over the world, away from friends and loved ones for a minimum of 6 months at a time. It's a thankless, fairly anonymous job, that doesn't get much press, but they are some of the greatest heros of the World. Kind of like the worlds firefighters.
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