Surprisingly good... but not to the level of critical acclaim.

Rating: 9/10 (16 January 2010)

'The Hurt Locker' surprised me on many levels. In many regards it has all the trappings of the conventional war movie: soldiers' daily grind, explosions and gun violence, gritty realism and tragedy. What sets this movie apart is the characters.
Moreso than any other war film I've watched, I felt like this was more of a character study first and a war movie second. Jeremy Renner expertly plays SSgt. James, a replacement EOD team leader deployed to Iraq. His brazen style immediately clashes with the other two regular members of the team, Sgt. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Spc. Eldrige (Brian Gerarghty). As they anticipate their unit's rotation back home, tensions rise as they have to continue to perform their ordinance detonation duties.
I thoroughly enjoyed Renner's character. SSgt. James is a moral, caring, and thoughtful leader. But, his thirst for action pushes Sanborn and Eldrige out of their comfort zones. EOD is dangerous enough, and James' antics test their resolve and grit. Where the movie separates itself from other war movie is this: the action serves the character, as opposed to characters thrown into action. Each mission reveals new dimensions about our heroes, their fears and ambitions, what they are trying to preserve and protect. The dialog and the actors' portrayal felt very organic to me. These are real people having real conversations, in realistic situations, trying to operate rationally and compassionately in the most illogical and irrational of circumstances.
There are no preachy political overtones or lessons on the morality of war. There really is no villain, except a faceless, formless enemy. There is nothing except the next mission and trying to survive it. The documentary style cinematography and gritty locations are great. I felt like I was in the Humvee many times, in modern Iraq, privileged to conversations and emotions rarely shared except in dire circumstances.
That said, I don't know if this movie is as good as it's being reviewed. It is an excellent film. If you're a fan of war movies this certainly is a don't miss. It's thrilling, wonderfully filmed, and the acting is great, if understated. Still, there's something missing that keeps this movie from being a top-echelon flick. In the end, though, this is an engrossing and entertaining movie that should not be missed!