The Hurt Soldiers

Rating: Null/10 (14 February 2010)

While Oren Moverman 'The Messenger' gives us the point of view of military messengers and the effect the war has had on them, Kathryn Bigelow's film shows us the perspective of a bomb technician in the middle of the war. 'The Hurt Locker' may be dramatic in parts but its strength is in the suspense and intensity of the situations created by the circumstances. The viewer is kept in constant suspense as to what's going to happen these people in the next moment. The atmosphere is almost always tense. The story moves at a go9od pace and remains constant up until the moment William decides to go solo to find Beckham's killers. From this point on, it takes a slight turn downwards but manages to pick up by the end. The sets look authentic and the camera-work is first-rate. Jeremy Renner does a fine job in carrying the film while actors like Ralph Fiennes and Guy Pearce are wasted. Renner's William is an arrogant and stubborn soldier who is almost 'addicted' to war and yet he is human enough to be vulnerable. I was on the verge of avoiding this movie thinking it's just another one of those anti-Arab war movies that have nothing new to offer but 'The Hurt Locker' was more than I expected. There is no bad guy in this movie (except the obvious terrorists) but there is also no hero, which is usually the case in wars.