Overrated

Rating: 1/10 (24 September 2009)

Hurt locker, really? This movie has been receiving rave reviews everywhere but am I the only one finding it missing the mark? Don't get me wrong, the technical aspects of the movie are well done, good cinematography, sound, and the action scenes quite tense, especially the bomb disposal scenes with lead actor Renner. The sentimental portrayal from the actors are OK, the comradeship is just passable but overall, the movie was overly emotional, some aspects of it dragging on too long. Not sure where the director is trying to take us most of the time.
However, some of the storyline is unbelievable, like the one with Ralph Fiennes, presumably a crack British SAS squad on an undercover mission. Ambushed by Iraqi snipers, one by one they get taken out until the rest of the squad runs off in fear leaving Renner and his team taking on the snipers by themselves. They manage to knock all the snipers out. Are Iraqi snipers and British SAS that incompetent? And what was with the suggested homo-erotic behaviour in the bedroom? Or the lone Iraqi driver in a tense standoff with Renner in the middle of a cordoned off road?
OK war movie and as mentioned earlier, well shot and tense, didn't feel any subliminal political message. But Platoon or Apocalypse Now it is not, not even close. And certainly not deserving of Oscars especially screenplay or acting.