Strong Set-pieces

Rating: 7/10 (2 January 2010)

The Hurt Locker is a nervy and intrepid story that has strength in its telling but relies heavily on the combat to provide the psychological meaning without the essential conjecture from the characters involved.
There is no denying the intensity and suspense that the Hurt Locker provides through its set pieces, which are skillfully brought to life through the reality of the cinematography. Yet the Hurt Locker consists of these gripping situation which seem to always find the unfortunate three soldiers. There is a lot of action and a number of static shots to convey the psychological torment of the soldiers but it is rather bereft of dialogue to give it a more pronounced emotivity.
The relationship between Sgt Sanborn, Eldridge and Sgt William James the new leader of the elite Bomb Squad Unit is passable but what I found particularly frustrating was the scene where they contemplate killing Sgt James? Was this for real? This scene is acutely bizarre. Naturally the film guides itself to the situation where there is general respect between them, which was rather rudimentary.
I enjoyed a number of cameos in the Hurt Locker, which gave a certain jolt to the proceedings, and Jeremy Renner does a fine job in the lead as Sgt James. Although The Hurt Locker has some very good set pieces and the film is most of the time rather riveting it relies on these moments to capture the audience a little too much.