A Highly Overrated Film

Rating: 1/10 (20 February 2010)

The Hurt Locker is one of the most overrated movies ever. Although there are some good sequences in the film, they never really amount to anything. There is very little plot in the movie. In other words, this film has no purpose. Most of the characters are cardboard cut-outs. The only exception to this is the protagonist of the story(whatever little there is)played brilliantly by Jeremy Renker. The film meanders all over the place. There are episodes in the film which are very loosely connected (if at all) to each other. This certainly isn't my idea of "The Best War Film In Years", etc... Watch Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Saving Private Ryan instead. They are far better examples of the genre. Kathryn Bigelow's direction is one of the weakest efforts I have seen and I will be highly surprised if she wins the Academy Award this year. Indeed, I am astounded that she was nominated at all. Just because she is a woman is no reason for a nomination. Michael Mann for Public Enemies was a much stronger contender. All in all, I feel this is an average, flawed film which suffers from a weak screenplay and terrible direction. Watch it at your own risk. If you liked Platoon or the other war films I mentioned, then there is a good chance you will hate this one.