Blown Away

Rating: 6/10 (25 November 2010)

Unfortunately, this partially gripping pic isn't quite the sum of its parts. While individual scenes are well-crafted and the difficult situation that American G.I.'s are confronted with in Iraq is made perceptible, the attempts at character drama are rather irresolute, despite Renner's strong performance.
The omittance of stereotypical narrative tropes and cheap combat splatter sequences is to be applauded as well as the expert direction. But something's missing while one effective set-piece after another is served up on a bloody plate. Maybe a political/social contextualization or a deeper look at the Iraqi people.
What we're left with is a well-made war-actioner with half-realized efforts towards more serious issues.
6 out of 10 human bombs