Hurt Locker

Rating: 8/10 (8 December 2012)

The Hurt Locker directed by Katheryn Bigelow is a very suspenseful movie depicting a bomb squad during the Iraq war. Sergeant First Class James' character played by Jeremy Renner is the co-leader of the squad. James is an "adrenaline junkie" that definitely has a rebellious side. He thinks that he is invincible. His counterpart, Sergeant Sanborn, played by Anthony Mackie is representative of the average "by the book" soldier. The third member of the team, Specialist Eldridge played by Brian Geraghty is an anxiety-ridden soldier that likes to follow the rules but has trouble with leadership decision making. The movie shows the team in various high stress situations where their life is in grave danger at every turn. The Hurt Locker at its core is about the interplay of the characters of the bomb squad and the psychological effects of their very dangerous profession. Their emotions and growth throughout the movie are highlighted. In one scene, Specialist Eldridge is hesitating about taking a shot or not. He asks Sergeant James what he should do and James calls Eldridge to make his own decision. Eldridge ultimately takes the shot, which probably saves the team. This is a distinct growing moment for Eldridge. Another scene involves Sergeant James who believes he can disarm any bomb but cannot disarm the bomb attached to "black suit man", a suicide bomber. James tries to disarm the bomb but fails and the man is blown up. This causes James to accept his human flaws and that no one is invincible. The movie is intense which is made even more so by the filming technique of cinematographer Barry Ackroyd. A number of hand held cameras were used to give the impression of a newsreel. The audience is drawn into an almost real world live action event. This effective technique enhances the intense suspense because it feels very real. The soundtrack or lack thereof is also a brilliant technique because it adds to the newsreel feel and heightens the suspense. Usually, music creates suspense in a movie but this movie is exactly opposite. The story itself is inherently suspenseful and music would have detracted from the intensity. In all, The Hurt Locker is a movie about humanity and the fragile nature of human lives. The scenes may be hard to watch but the occupation of these brave men is an unfortunate necessity in today's world. The sacrifices they make should be highlighted so that Americans do not take our secure lives for granted. This movie, with its flaws, should be viewed by all who value their freedom and security.