Many directors in Hollywood today have tried to give us gripping movies about mans ability to destroy each other and mans ability to put themselves in harms way to protect others. The sad thing is that many of these movies are just not good. Now Kathryn Bigelow brings us a movie about the occupation of United States Forces in Iraq. "The Hurt Locker" based on the writings of Journalist Mark Boal who embedded himself amongst a troop of EOD soldiers. The film is about a bomb disposal expert, Staff Sgt. William James that depends on character, dialogue and situation to develop almost unbearable suspense. It contains a few explosions, though the suspense comes in hoping that no explosions will occur.
Staff Sgt. William James (Jeremy Renner) is the newest hot shot in Bravo Company, their last commanding officer, Sergeant Matt Thompson (Guy Pearce) has just gotten himself blown up, the other two members of this team are Sergeant JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty). Staff Sgt. James has defused over 800 IED's and considers himself above danger. Bigelow stays away from being drawn into showcasing the people of Iraq's story, she does give us their story, but on the periphery of the main story. Hurt Locker is told from the perspective of the three Bravo Company troopers, day after day we are given a more indepth look at what it is that drives Staff Sgt. James, deep down inside he is just as afraid as the next man is, he is just addicted to the rush of the moment.
Time after time Staff Sgt. James puts his fellow troop members in harms way, he refuses to acknowledge Sergeant Sanborn's repeated radio calls, he places not only himself but Specialist Eldridge in the line of fire, time after time. Specialist Eldridge fears that each day will be his last. he visits a camp councilor after every outing. The men find IED's on the side of the road, in cars, in building and even in a dead body. Staff Sgt. James thinks he knows the kid whose body they have used to place this bomb, and one night he forces one of the bases merchants to drive him to the home of the young child. James walks back to the base when he is forced to leave the house he had journeyed to. While out on tour one afternoon the three men come across a group of men in the road with weapons, not sure if they are friendlies or combatants they approach with caution. When they find out that they are basically American mercenaries out to capture America's Most Wanted fugitives the men begin a friendship that is short lived. The contractor team leader (Ralph Fiennes) is one of the men killed by a sniper in an ambush.
After this incident the three men become closer as friends, and one night while they are out looking at a suicide bomb site Staff Sgt. James tells the others that he is tired of these insurgents just blowing things up and getting away with it, he tells Sanborn and Eldridge that they are going to hunt them down and get rid of them once and for all. During the hunt Eldridge is captured and wounded, he is rescued by Sanborn and James but his days In Country are over. The day comes when Staff Sgt. James tour is over and he goes home, but as they said war is a drug, and all he can talk about at home is one adventure after the other, his wife listens with patients because she has been through this before. Staff Sgt. James is lost at home he has that far away look in his eyes, and he can't even decide what he wants to eat when he has a choice. He has gotten so used to taking whats there.
The ending of this movie is very touching, Staff Sgt. James goes back, the call of danger is greater than his call to his family. He is addicted to the rush, to the adventure, to the danger. This is a very touching movie and is pretty close to realistic as it can get. There were a few things that just wouldn't have happened, but they are to few to ruin this almost perfect movie. Any one who has done a tour over there, will notice these right away, most IED's were blown up in the ground not disarmed, also why would the troopers leave the little protection of the HUMVEE to stand outside and make targets of themselves for the snipers. If these little things are the only things wrong with this movie I for one say Bravo to Kathryn Bigelow for taking the chance she took in order to make this movie.
I give The Hurt Locker a 3 and on my avoidance scale I give it a 0, anyone who has family or friends who are currently serving their Country, should go see this movie. Heck everyone should see this movie. It is captivating and emotional, it will make you cry and cheer, you feel the tension of the moment and that is hard to do on film, even when you have great stars, Kathryn Bigelow does it with relatively unknowns and again I say BRAVO.
The Hurt Locker is rated R for War Violence and Language
Running time is 2 hrs. 10 min.
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