A study of the psyche of a soldier

Rating: 8/10 (25 January 2012)

I run a risk in writing this review following only one viewing, in that The Hurt Locker is a film that needs multiple viewings to fully take in, and my views may change. However, this should not affect the credibility of the review.
One thing that must be noted is that this is not a 'war film' per se, in the way in which Saving Private Ryan and Platoon are 'war films'. Rather, this is an exploration of the chaos of war, and the way in which it affects one's psyche - quite like a modern-day, slightly tamer and more realistic (and less comic) Catch-22. Character Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) is the protagonist in question, and the one who receives the main focus. The film serves as an intricate study of how dangers in war (most predominantly in this film: bombs) can have mental and emotional consequences. Director Kathryn Bigelow brings the movie together in such a way that every aspect of the filmmaking process has a part to play in this psychological portrayal. The script is great, albeit sparse at times, but the empty space is vital to the story and the film. I've not seen many other films that create suspense quite like this one, and this is mainly down to the fantastic use of editing and sound mixing. The film avoids cliché due to its vastly realistic approach – but one expects something major to happen almost constantly throughout. Typical Hollywood narrative is avoided, as it just wouldn't quite work with what Bigelow and the others are trying to get across. There is no true climax to the film, but rather a nod towards a message/moral that finalises the story aptly.
The film received 9 Oscar nominations, 6 of which were won. I feel that they were all deserved. The only one with a slight question mark is the nomination for the score, written by Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders. The word 'sparse' comes to mind again, and 'ambience' for the most part. Whilst I strongly believe that appropriateness is paramount in scoring a film (and should that mean silence, then you write silence), I feel that more could have been said through the music. However, there were definitely some nice moments in it.
As a film that focuses mainly on characterisation and the effects on the mind, rather than filmic entertainment, it can appear quite 'slow' on the surface, if you're on to use such a term. However, it is a brilliant study on characterisation and the mind, and moreover, a superb film.