Wayward Muse:

Adrenaline-pumping ?realistic? depiction of war on the ground in Iraq. ?War is a drug? is the opening quotation?specifically, in this movie, that drug is adrenaline, and the junkie is squad-leader James, assigned to head the Bravo bomb squad after the former leader gets himself blown up. The squad has only 38 days left on it's highly dangerous tour of duty, but with the arrival of the old-style, bigger-than-life, rough-and-ready action-hero, James, their odds of surviving to day 39 just got a lot poorer. This film works on a lot of levels. Unfortunately, it's rather difficult to know, without having actually been there, how accurate a portrayal it is of the life of a soldier on the ground in Iraq. As an action-packed, suspenseful war-thriller, however, this film is top-notch. The hero or anti-hero of the film, James, is an adrenaline junkie who can't function in the ?real world? where his wife and baby son live, but is only really at home on the edge of destruction. And yet James may indeed be just what the situation orders?a seemingly fearless comando who gets the job done no matter what. ?Body-bombs? (corpses wired with explosives), unwilling civilians wired as walking bombs begging to be saved, mercenaries seeking bounties on wanted terrorists, street-vendors and onlookers who may be carrying the trigger to the next buried bomb?determining who is a friend and who is foe becomes a minute-by-minute life-or-death situation. The acting is great all-around. The characters are fully fleshed out, and the pacing and dark humor are perfect. Jeremy Renner is truly someone to watch in the future. Whether the situation is real-to-life or not, I think where the movie does ?work? as a message film is in subverting the ?Rambo? mentality of war, giving a much more realistic depiction of what drives ?Rambo? and the consequences of putting ?Rambo? in charge. Beyond that, take it with a grain of salt, as hopefully you do all war movies. 05-10-09

WideStance:

After seeing The Hurt Locker I'm having a bit of a tough time seeing why the reviews are so great. It's a pretty solid Iraq war movie about a bomb squad diffusing roadside IEDs in Iraq, but not the modern masterpiece it's being hailed as. Director Kathryn Bigelow shows the bravery, danger, and skill it takes to dismantle a bomb and plenty of close ups of both sweaty, nervous faces and of red wires and blue wires and wire cutters carefully snipping just the right ones at the last second. But there's really not a whole lot else going on. After the first half hour it's lather, rinse, repeat with one action scene after another. They're well shot and edited and intense, mind you, but they get a bit repetitive after 2 hours and ten minutes. Apart from fleeting moments of camaraderie between soldiers and a rather thin plotline about a little Iraqi boy named "Beckham," it's one action set piece after another. We don't really know all that much about the characters in the film other than the lead American explosives guy is an adrenaline junkie who uses war to get his fix. And wait till you see the strange and distracting "blink and you'll miss him" Ralph Fiennes cameo. His three minutes on screen could have been played by anybody, he added nothing and only took me out of an otherwise involving moment in the film. And I still don't know what a "Hurt Locker" is either, it's never explained. A good, not great movie.

jlw21:

I?ve been having trouble articulating my thoughts about this film, and I think it?s because there are two conflicting elements at work within: The direction is fantastic, and Kathryn Bigelow masterfully pulls tension out of thin air. The writing, however, leaves much to be desired in the way of character development. As a result, I?m left feeling incredibly anxious not for the characters in the film, but for myself, as Bigelow unapologetically puts us at ground zero with the rest of the bomb-diffusing team, and relentlessly plays with our vulnerability throughout. Wrter Mark Boal and Bigelow have crafted a high stakes, self-contained world where nothing is certain, and everything and everyone can be a threat to one?s existence. Unfortunately, for a bomb squad, one?s existence in said world can get repetitive rather quickly. There are only so many things that a bomb can be strapped to, and Boal uses nearly every single instance. (Surprisingly, there were no false alarms? every scenario involved a real IED.) While the film starts in high gear, establishing its ?loose cannon? protagonist through these somewhat similar bomb diffusions, it quickly slows. By the second half of the film, we are following a character whose psyche we know little to nothing about, while the most interesting characters (Sanborn, Cambridge) fall into the background. It?s as if Boal conceived of Sgt. James? adrenaline-junkie character, then couldn?t find enough substance to explain his very being. The Hurt Locker works well as an action movie for the first half, but bites off more than it can chew in the latter half, and begins to drag on toward the end. A nerve-wracking experience to be seen on the big screen for sure? just don?t expect much character explanation.

dfwforeignbuff:

US Army Staff Sgt Will James, Sgt JT Sanborn & Spc. Owen Eldridge comprise the Bravo Company's bomb disposal unit currently stationed in Baghdad. James is the tech team leader. When James arrives on the scene, Bravo Company has thirty-nine days left on its current deployment. 39 days is a long time to be together (Sanborn &Eldridge) these men whose styles do not mesh with their new leader. James is a renegade for who the thrill of the dismantlement seems to be the ultimate goal regardless of the safety of his fellow team members (himself or others). On the other hand, Sanborn is by the books: he knows his place & duty & trusts others in the army to carry out theirs as well as he. & Eldridge is an insecure soldier who is constantly worried that an error or misjudgment on his part will lead to the death of an innocent civilian or a military colleague. While the three members face their own internal issues, they have to be aware of any person at the bomb sites, some of who may be bombers themselves. As the men struggle to control their wild new leader, the city explodes into chaos, & James' true character reveals itself in a way that will change each man forever. All aspects of film-making are top-notch, from the brilliantly subversive screenplay through vivid cinematography, masterful directing & perfectly paced editing. In its storytelling the filmmakers wisely break with traditional Hollywood narrative techniques. There is no clear antagonist, no rising action, no obvious character development & no climax. & yet the film manages to be more interesting, tense & suspenseful while making a powerful statement about the insane addiction that is war. This is a non compromising film. Bigelow has succeeded in creating an entirely memorable experience that will leave its mark as one of the very best war spectacles put to film. Warning every time some clicks review "not helpful" a small kitten in the arms of a child dies!

simplygreg:

In a summer of mostly mindless crap is a film of real tension and action. Beautifully uncomfortable and thrilling, I want a separate magnet ribbon for my car to support this movie. Seek it out.

ymj 1257707:

***SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW*** As a multi-tour combat veteran I was quite surprised to just how realistic this movie looked and the small details to realism (throwing a water bottle at a car infront of a convoy, arguing while buying DVDs etc) were great. Why couldn't they have continued this attention to detail when it came to the combat scenes? 1. When they meet up with the British contractors there are so many problems! a. Why did the Brits loose all their tactics and nerve as soon as the first bullet flew? b. There are very few certainties to war, but if you see your buddy get shot (the british sniper) don't go to that spot! you already know the enemy can hit that spot. c. once they had isolated the sniper, why didn't they get back up on the m2 and light up the building? Why did they insist on using the barrett? 2. The taxi driver and the spider web of 155 shells. The taxi driver goes through a check point and drives right at an EOD tech... why wasn't he shot multiple times? Who was pulling security? The girls scouts? 3. The big blast at night. Even the other actors realized how silly this was, "there are two platoons of infantry..." yeah, if one of my NCOs did this he would recieve a relief for cause NCOER and would be sent to the rear or discharged. Never do anything by yourself. There is a documentary coming out called Restrepo, it just won Sundance's best documentary award. If you though Hurt Locker was realistic, wait till you see the real thing! 173rd Airborne! Airborne All The Way!

SwearEngine:

I've read a fair share of not so great reviews of The Hurt Locker dealing with it's inaccuracies and poor script, and I think those reviewers missed the point. What I came away from this movie was a real sense of understanding of the pressure that IEDs in general present. It's practically impossible to fool most modern audiences on oblique threats but I think they really managed to convey the sense of constant, unending tension and that threats come from all directions. Except for one scenario that overplayed itself and telegraphed the threat I was almost always anxious as to what was going to come next. I think the goal of the movie wasn't to deliver an accurate procedural on EOD operations in Iraq but to provide an accurate portrayal of the stress that an ever present indirect threat provides. People seem completely bent out of shape on technical accuracies that they don't approach the characters as presented. I think the characters provided were quite consistent within the movie and provided a number of (at least to me) very interesting perspectives. Sgt James arc was originally antagonistic but I got closer to getting a grip on what drives him once he had that rather ridiculous night time escapade. It all starts to unravel from the consequences and implications of what happens from the point they find the weapons cache and it causes him to spin out of control from the certitude he approaches his life. The final few scenes really put him in context with what he's become compared to Sanborn was. The movie was inaccurate and they did things soldiers would never do, but I don't care. However, I do care if they presented a solid, suspenseful story with a strong emotional arc for the characters. And I think it managed that handily. I'd give it a 4* losing some points because of the rather telegraphed situation of the Colonel and a bit too much "mavericky" stuff from time to time.

Frank W:

Though director Kathryn Bigelow does ask some difficult questions about the cost of heroism and what the experience of war does to a soldier, her message never comes across as burdensome or heavy-handed. The film's focus is narrowed to dramatizing the dangerous work of the bomb removal squads, and the film does that exceptionally well. As the credits begin to roll, we slowly tear our fingers from the armrests, hoping no one notices the damage to the upholstery. Horror, western, psychological thriller, or war drama... pick a genre. The Hurt Locker is one of the most intense and thrilling representatives from any genre to come down the pike in quite some time.

ChaosCloud:

This movie is just..wow. i never thought that war movies could improve or get any better but The Hurt Locker takes it to an entirely different level. Now i've never been to war or even attempted to join the army but if you didn't know any better you'd think what goes on in this film is what actually happens in real life. Every thing is just executed in a way that leaves you speechless for a while when you attempt to describe why this film is so good. They do a good job of making you care for the main characters and also they give you the feeling that every time the main group rolls out there's a chance that they may not make it back. If you're into war movies or you want a different take/viewpoint on war movies then you should definitely check this film out.

Jammin:

Great drama, with excellent video editing, good use of cameos and a compelling dynamic between the two lead actors

N of Maud:

Some troops who enjoy this film has said it's is completely unrealistic it terms of the operation of the tight knit bomb squad at the same time as saying it's the best film of Iraq yet. This either says something positive re: Bigelow's effort or something depressing re: the state of US war coverage. I happen to think the former is true. The film lacks consistency, with sone parts stretching the believability to far and other scenes which are earth shatteringly powerful. The supermarket scene at the end accomplishes in communicating the experience of Modern Warfare in such a economical and moving way that Bigelow deserve an Oscar just for that alone. Also, watch for use of slow motion, a retro effect brought back beautifully in this film.

Andsav:

Ideally I'd give this film 3.5 stars but I'll round it up to 4 instead. I had mixed feelings about this film. THe acting was brilliant on all sides. Jeremy Renner was a real standout in this film. Sargeant James is an intriguing, complex, and sad example of what war can do to an individual. Bigelow is a very capable director, and she handles the action scenes very well. She may even go on to win the Oscar this year. My biggest gripe with this movie is that it left you hanging emotionally, and at times it was difficult to emotionally engage with the characters. Overall, it is a very unique vantage point into the conflict in Iraq. The reality that these soldiers have to deal with is absolutely terrifying and nerve-racking. A memorable albeit disturbing movie that is very worthwhile to watch.

TheMovieCurmudgeon:

I think I've been spoiled by Dale Dye & the realism he helped provide to "..Private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers." If you keep in mind this is the same director who brought us "Point Break," and embrace it as a completely unrealistic but well-made cops-in-fatigues thriller, then it¿s great. It was independently financed and not supported by the US military, so those limitations may explain why the main characters are often in situations nowhere near the real world of EOD guys in the field -- solo in one Humvee most of the time, shooting it out with a sniper in the desert instead of calling air support, sneaking off a base to play detective, etc. Still, clichés abound that brought it down a notch for me ¿ bonding over fist fights, befriending the native kid, a LOT of nervous waving-of-rifles around on rooftops & chatter on radios, etc. Why no depiction of the horrors of what one EFP or IED can do to a Humvee and the soldiers in it is also a major missed opportunity to ratchet up the suspense, in my opinion. A great performance by Renner though, and as blockbusters go, not bad overall. Still, I¿d much rather see Dale S. Dye advise a film version of the great Iraq war book ¿The Good Soldiers.¿

fewstingscorpio:

Film did a good job keeping you on the edge of your seat, anticipating a crisis. This was all taking place within the Explosive Ordnance Team in Iraq. This was the most dangerous job I have ever seen, or felt part of. In this movie, you do feel like you have a front row seat, which why you become so involved with the characters and the intensity in each scene.

nua 704009:

Two scenes stick out in my mind, the opening scene and the sniper scene. Two of the most bug eyed moments I've ever had watching a film. Amazing

dfwforeignbuff:

US Army Staff Sgt Will James, Sgt JT Sanborn and Spc. Owen Eldridge comprise the Bravo Company's bomb disposal unit currently stationed in Baghdad. James is the tech team leader. When James arrives on the scene, Bravo Company has thirty-nine days left on its current deployment. 39 days is a long time to be together (Sanborn &Eldridge) these men whose styles do not mesh with their new leader. James is a renegade for who the thrill of the dismantlement seems to be the ultimate goal regardless of the safety of his fellow team members himself or others.On the other hand, Sanborn is by the books: he knows his place and duty and trusts others in the army to carry out theirs as well as he. And Eldridge is an insecure soldier who is constantly worried that an error or misjudgment on his part will lead to the death of an innocent civilian or a military colleague. While the three members face their own internal issues, they have to be aware of any person at the bomb sites, some of who may be bombers themselves. As the men struggle to control their wild new leader, the city explodes into chaos, and James' true character reveals itself in a way that will change each man forever. All aspects of film-making are top-notch, from the brilliantly subversive screenplay through vivid cinematography, masterful directing and perfectly paced editing. In its storytelling the filmmakers wisely break with traditional Hollywood narrative techniques. There is no clear antagonist, no rising action, no obvious character development and no climax. And yet the film manages to be more interesting, tense and suspenseful than any Hollywood action thriller I've seen in years while making a powerful, yet subtle statement about the insane addiction that is war. Kudos for everyone involved for making this film without compromising. Bigelow has succeeded in creating an entirely memorable and visceral experience that will surely leave its mark in the pantheon of the very best war spectacles put to film.

Skinless Tomcat:

I can see where the oscar buzz for this movie is coming from. This is definitely the best Iraq war movie I've seen. This film is a master of tension. With each bomb defusing situation you feel the heated anxiety of being within the killing zone of the blast radius of an armed bomb that could go off at any second, and to make matters worse you always have an audience of suspicious Iraqi onlookers- anyone of them could could have a detonation device. This movie gives a glimpse of the awful situation in Iraq, and how soldiers can become addicted to it- war is a drug. My only gripe is the slow pacing of some parts. 4.5*'s

KC 650222:

If you love war movies, see this. I don't even like war movies but thought this was totally amazing.

Rosa&Colin:

The Hurt Locker contained striking visuals, an excellent score, great sound effects and top notch acting for what the film was - A military action film. Unfortunately the lack of realism is preventing me from giving this film five stars. Example: An EOD team deciding to hunt down the bad guys in the middle of the night without the support of an infantry platoon? (Never mind the fact that the infantry would be the ones to do that.) Or the EOD team going behind the wire with absolutely zero support or security. Aside from that however - I didnt feel like there was much political bias in it really. Not only was it well acted but it was pretty tense in parts. I felt my heart rate speeding up during a couple of scenes thanks in large part to the feeling of suspense Kathryn Bigelow gave the film along with the score and sound effects. Bigelow also did a great job at capturing the feelings and emotions that come from living through the horrors of war. She turned what could have been a typical bombs go boom film into a decent character driven story. So really, despite my complaints The Hurt Locker is worth watching if you arent expecting a completely accurate look of how EODs operate. Well acted, quite tense and suspenseful and visually striking, the Hurt Locker is a step above most other action films.

Popsicle Stick:

I watched this film today with a friend who is ex-military and currently on a bomb squad in civilian law enforcement. We had heard good things about the film, and we both came away wishing that the film had been more technical in terms of the bomb disposal aspects, but also more complex in terms of character and plot. From a technical standpoint, my friend was especially surprised at the absence of Percussion Actuated Non-Electric (PAN) Disruptors, although he thought it was possible that the military does things differently. As far as the story goes, I had been hoping for characters with more interesting motivations. I had a hard time believing that people in this situation would become so psychologically shallow. Nevertheless I'd say it's worth seeing, but not as good as I was expecting.

Marillion:

The Hurt Locker directed by Kathryn Bigelow and starring Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty is a suspenseful, edge of your seat thriller that draws you in from its first scene and never lets you go. The movie depicts the daily danger faced by a EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) unit whom are assigned a new team leader towards the end of their tour of duty. The team struggles to get a read on their leader who at times almost appears to be as much a threat to them as the devices they encounter throughout the film. The almost documentary feel of the film creates a realism that adds the already tense environment. The actors give tremendous performances and are convincing in their roles. Perhaps just as important though is the way that Bigelow goes about creating the environment in which they work. The tension that exists between the members of the team is amplified ten fold by the tension between the soldiers and the citizens of Baghdad. Every movement by the citizens around them is reason for concern. Every step they take could be their last. Every day brings them one day closer to leaving but one day further from the lives they left behind. On the negative side, I did find a couple of the scenarios were the main characters were out on their own a little unbelievable. I also felt there was one scene in particular that just did not fit in an otherwise well crafted film. The Hurt Locker is indeed one of the better films of 2009 and deserves the accolades given it. It gets 4.5/5 stars.

T-Bone:

One of the best movies of 2009. I hope that Jeremy Renner gets nominated for the Best Actor Oscar. Kathryn Bigelow seems to be getting most of the Oscar buzz, but it is Renner that carries this film.

willschiff:

This isn't an Iraq War movie. This isn't JARHEAD or STOPLOSS. Instead, it's the year's best action film directed by the -woman- who brought you POINT BREAK and K-19: THE WIDOWMAKER. The movie speaks profoundly on what it means to be a soldier; a person who knowingly and willingly risks their life. This movie examines the psyches of these people, unflinchingly analyzing them all the while providing armrest clenching action. You owe it to yourself to check out this film, especially if you're a fan of action films.

BriGy86:

There are some funny parts and a lot of recognizable faces... But I ended up walking out on this movie due to the lack of story and how mundane it is. It reminded me of the movie The Thin Red Line (Another movie with a lot of big name people and no plot.)