Gritty, Gutsy Directing - Best "War" Film

Rating: Null/10 (5 August 2011)

semi spoiler - but not a full blown spoiler. If you missed this or skipped it thinking it was just another statement on foreign policy - big mistake. This could be any place, any time, any nation's sanctioned fighting forces. Brilliantly filmed on a ground level - with a home movie feel with each bomb diffusion being filmed from various moving camera angles which effectively builds tension and transcends other film techniques for capturing raw emotion - fear.
Brilliantly directed moving from action to inaction, highlighting some of the reasons our warriors develop the "syndromes" they develop, the pressure they are under and beautifully tying the opening quote to the end of the film via marvelous character development particularly of Sgt. William James (Jeremy Renner) and the fabulous acting he brings to the role.
James is a hotshot bomb tech whose drug of choice is pure adrenalin - having personally and supposedly single handedly defused over 850 IEDs - on several tours of duty to the front - he makes short shrift of showing us how he gets HIS kicks - gets HIS buzz on! And once home the film quickly and touchingly via a conversation with his son - explains and sadly addresses that addiction to the adrenalin pumping fear.
It will leave you thinking about your friends, relatives, loved ones who have gone and returned and wondering just how DO you go from dodging IEDs, gunfire, ambushes, to an afternoon drive to Walmart? Where is the reality after war? and just how DO we thank those who, whether they lived or died STILL gave up, sacrificed one reality for another in duty to their country?
You will long think about Renner's square boxy swagger as he took on his own personal demon each time he confronted the antagonist in this film -- the bombs. And you will long remember his teammates in Bravo company - their struggle to understand him, to reign him in and all the while providing him with the support he needs to accomplish each mission.
Great great flick