War is Horrible

Rating: 8/10 (3 February 2010)

The Hurt Locker covers about 3 months in the life of a bomb disposal team operating in Iraq during 2004. The acting is convincing and the film is beautifully directed. The film graphically shows the brutality and hostility that American soldiers faced during the early stages of the occupation. Iraq was in chaos and the bomb disposal teams helped clear Baghdad of IEDs. Watching this movie can be an uncomfortable experience, you feel like an extra member of the team. I am basically a philistine so when I go to the movies I usually prefer to forget my troubles and like to be entertained. For me the film's realism made watching a harrowing and depressing experience. This is not a movie for the faint of heart.
The camera follows the team from one incident to another and shows the everyday experiences the soldiers faced. The three team members react differently to the horrors they confront. Sgt. J.T. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) hate Iraq. They want to go home and try to avoid taking any unnecessary risks. Sgt. Will James (Jeremy Renner)the team leader is calm and seems to enjoy the war. James is described by a colonel as an "animal." The soldiers are not the frightened kids, high on drugs that we saw in many Vietnam movies. These men are mature,professionals who interact like grown-ups but there is tension amongst the team members because Sanborn believes that James takes too many risks.
The movie is well made and gives you a better understanding of what the soldiers went through. It shows how war can change people forever and Bigelow doesn't sweeten the pill.