The Hurt Locker

Thought it was pretty average, but it could've been substantially better with more competent actors. Due to the weak acting, all of the emotion is nearly sucked out of the film. I also found it distracting that Bigelow made an attempt to add a certain level of psychology into the film that felt flimsy and weak. To be honest, it would've been much better if these scenes had been removed entirely.

It is certainly a very tense film with terrific scenes of James defusing the bombs, but it doesn't really work in any other way. Despite the flaws, The Hurt Locker is still definitely worth seeing.

I couldn't really tell that Jeremy Renner or Anthony Mackie did any acting at all. They seemed completely real to me. Absolutely believable. No posing in this film - just real folks in real situations.

I have watched this film ten times now. It's awesome. My favorite film of the 21st Century (top 3, anyhow).

__________________
R.I.P.

I finally saw this last night, and I'm kind of between Justin and GOM. I admit, when it ended I was underwhelmed, but only because I'd heard so much about it and it seems to be the favorite for Best Picture at this point. That said, remove the expectations and it's quite a good film.

I agree that the acting was good; it didn't give the actors opportunities for the kind of histrionics that sometimes make performances look more impressive than they are. The performances are necessarily subtle, and work on that level.

I think the screenplay spent a bit more time going from one dangerous situation to the next, and while this breakneck pace benefits the film in many ways, when the film reaches its emotional conclusion, it feels a little sudden. I feel like the quote at the beginning is asked to bear a lot of the weight of explaining Will's disorder (for lack of a better word); more than is reasonable. I like the conception of Will's character more than I like the actual execution. I think they left a lot of personal exploration on the table to make the film more conventionally entertaining.

That said, I think it did a tremendous job of putting the difficulty of modern war into context. I think it's easy to look at the news and wonder how things can go wrong, but when you see what these kinds of conflicts look like, you're left wondering why it doesn't go wrong more often. I like that, in some situations, we never find out if some guy on a balcony with a camera was actually an insurgent, or just someone fascinated by the soldiers. We don't know because they don't know, and there's almost no way to tell who's just curious about what's happening, and who wants nothing more than to murder them. It established this general sense of paranoia very well.

All in all, I'd give it a .

I think people would be surprised at how many Rangers go back again and again to Afghanistan and Iraq. They'll do three, four tours. Then many go back as private contractors.

Loved this one. Great surprise as I was not expecting much. Highly recommended.

I just saw this movie.. and sincerely is worthless, bad movie.

What did you find so worthless about it? I thought it was pretty good even though they took numerous... what I think they call... artistic liberties as to how the military actually operates in it...

__________________

I can say The hurt locker is a one of the best war movie.United States Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team during the Iraq War.Direction was so good. all the character played very good role.

The sound effect when he punches him is the worst sound effect ever. This ruined the entire movie for me.

__________________

I don't know if you're serious or not, but that is the most ridiculous comment ever.

__________________
"A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have."

Suspect's Reviews

remarkable film...

The Hurt Locker (2009, Kathryn Bigelow)



The EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) units must be one of the more tense jobs in the United States military. Their job is to uncover, disarm, and then safely detonate improvised explosive devices (IEDs). This film is quite remarkable in the documentary style it's presented through. The screenwriter of The Hurt Locker is Mark Boal, who spent time in Iraq as a journalist with several bomb crews. That first hand experience from the writing perspective tends to shift the film toward a more realistic and somber fair and away from an action and bells and whistles type of war-film. The film was extremely refreshing and tense and will certainly rank up there in my mind with the great war films; Paths of Glory, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Thin Red Line, Apocalypse Now, and so forth. Now we finally have a great film about the struggle in Iraq.
There is no huge story to be found here. The Hurt Locker follows the last 30-some days of Bravo company after their team leader (Guy Pearce) is killed in the amazing opening 10 minutes of the film. The replacement team leader is Sgt. James played to perfection in one of the great performances of film by Jeremy Renner, a relatively unknown actor. Certainly the fact that director Bigelow filmed the movie in Jordan and in horrible conditions right next door to Iraq, helped Renner and the other actors achieve that sense of tension and somberness in their parts. There's no glory to be had, or any message in The Hurt Locker, just a small group of men doing their job to save lives. Renner has some excellent moments, and as they say embodies the part. He smokes, jokes, and doesn't follow the rules because the rules are in part meant to protect him, whether it's wearing a cumbersome "protective" suit or setting a time limit to the detonation. He ignores the rules when the rules don't help him get his job done. There's no bravo or machismo hint in his performance whatsoever. This is one of those films that you watch and you believe the actors are their character. Anthony Mackie plays his second, in charge of having his back and covering him while in the open. Brian Geraghty plays the third member of the small crew, as a jaded and death-phobic shooter. None of these "stock" war-film parts drift into parody or cliche'.
The cinematography is excellent, The Hurt Locker is simply a beautiful film to watch, and the amazing action sequences kept me at edge for the films two plus hour length. Certainly one of the best films of 2009, and it breathes new life into a stale genre of film. There's no sentimental musical score telling us to feel nervous. We simply watch and that's enough. The editing is pitch-perfect, we know exactly what is going on and when and this isn't sacrificed in the name of fancy and frantic Michael Bay-esque camera work. This is simply an amazing film and amazing story-telling with little undermining manipulation to the viewer.

Grade: A

__________________
"A candy colored clown!"
Member since Fall 2002
Top 100 Films, clicky below

http://www.movieforums.com/community...ad.php?t=26201

yes really. And welcome to mofo

I thought it was fine... scratch that... perfect. Acting should look like it isn't acting, which is what the film accomplished for me. Do you have specific examples?

Nice review Chilly I usually avoid war movies myself thought the Hurt Locker was great

__________________
Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Buddha

There are a couple that come to mind. One of the absolute worst scenes in the film is where Sanborn and James get into a fight and roll along the ground -- that was hilariously bad. "Geez, you really are insane." Maybe I'm alone in this, but was this line even necessary?

I also seem to remember a really cliche scene where James runs into the shower, and stands there pondering what has happened -- he looked like someone trying too hard. This should've been a key moment, instead, it looked as plain and unemotional as they come. It was also one of the most tame and stereotypical ways of illustrating how a character feels. Was there no other way of showing this?

Another scene that comes to mind is where one of the survivors of the explosion in the opening scene is in the midst of a session with his therapist. It was almost a little difficult to take seriously. There was just nothing "real" about the scene, aside from the documentary-style aesthetics. And even that can only help the "realism" element so much.

Renner just isn't that great of an actor. Sure, he may be good for an action film, but every scene where Bigelow tries to take us elsewhere -- away from the "thriller" aspect -- it falls completely flat. Like I said earlier, it should've just stayed away from the psychology, because it was ultimately just distracting and even painful to watch -- not in a good way, either. I've never found Bigelow to be that great of a director, but this sort of proves that she's just above average.

Anyway, I'm not trying to be too hard on the film, because, after all, I did still like it; it's a good film with terrific sequences of suspense. But one of the best of the year? Not even close.

Cant wait to add this to my Collection its a great film

__________________
The Professional.

One of the best war films I've seen, rented it last weekend. Jeremy Renner is excellent. The direction is outstanding, love the hand-held camera work. Really an impressive film, I'm glad Bigelow won the Oscar for direction, she deserved it.

__________________
BigScreenBytes.com
Movie Reviews | TV Recaps

A SLICE OF WAR

Few films leave me riveted. This one did. Katherine Bigalow’s slice of life war movie doesn’t confuse itself with political commentary or take sides in the fight. This film doesn’t pretend to answer questions as to why the war is taking place, but instead allows us to walk in the shoes of Bravo Company, as they follow orders and ask themselves, “why do I choose to fight today?”

The Hurt Locker centers around a team of soldiers led by a “bomb tech,” who has the dubious job of dismantling roadside explosives (IED’s). If the team can’t send in a robot to shut down a device - which can be concealed underground, hidden in the trunk of a car, or even in a decaying human body – they send in the tech. The space-like protective suit these guys wear doesn’t ensure survival if there’s an explosion, as we learn in the first ten minutes when Bravo’s tech is killed.

He’s replaced by the rebellious and stubborn, but talented SFC William James (played seamlessly by Jeremy Renner). With over 800 devices safely dismantled, James is determined to get the job done his way. He refuses to use the robot, taking matters into his own hands and dismantling the most threatening bombs without wearing his helmet so he can “die comfortably.”

You could cut through each scene’s palpable tension as pressure builds with every mission in which Bravo’s involved. Nothing distracts from the drama in this film. Ms. Bigalow didn’t deliver an ostentatious, 2 hour music video, nor did she cast big name heavy-hitters in the main roles. With only a few beautiful shots that call attention to her exquisite direction, and two recognizable actors in supporting roles (Guy Pierce and Ralph Fiennes), the movie never shows off.

This film takes a non-compromising look at the day-to-day struggles American men experience being soldiers. Spc. Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) already seems to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, distracting himself with violent video games in his spare time and seeking counsel from a psychologist soldier. After the team survives an explosive strapped to a civilian they can’t rescue, Sgt. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) breaks down and questions the validity of his life.

While his partners air on the side of caution and follow orders, James continues to push the envelope. When a young boy he mistakes as his friend is killed to play host to a body bomb, James seeks revenge – tearing through a local house and threatening innocent citizens. He later orders his team off course of a mission to figure out who may have been responsible for a tank bombing, jeopardizing their lives and causing Eldridge to get injured. These men have wittingly signed up for a situation that gives them no control over their daily lives– and renegade James wants some.

At the end of the day, when the job for which you’ve signed up is filled with fear and uncertainty at every turn, how does one breathe easy? When soldiers normally safely confined to an office decide to take a ride into the field and get killed by IED’s, when enemies strap explosives to innocent civilians as bait and you risk losing your lives to save one; how do you keep up the fight within yourself to keep fighting the war?

Because soldiers don’t quit, these characters go on in different ways. When the sink can’t aptly wash off the blood of battle, James walks fully-clothed into the shower and lets the water turn crimson. When he calls his girlfriend back home and can’t find the words to speak, he simply hangs up. After the team nearly gets killed by the human bait bomb, Sanborn asks James how he “takes the risk” of being the bomb tech. James’ answer: “I don’t think about it.”

The purpose of the plot and the sum of the stories in The Hurt Locker don’t add up to a big blow-out finale. Every second of the movie is fraught with tension – dramatic and action-packed. Its character-driven theme peeks into the fears of the men carrying sniper rifles. It shines a light into the minds of men who dig in the sand to unveil a mess of wires about to destroy everything around them. Why do they do this? For some: duty. For a few: an adrenaline rush. Or maybe because it’s the one thing they really love to do.

The Hurt Locker is recent American filmmaking at its finest, leaving its grip on you long after you return home from the theatre. Poignant and telling, honest and raw, it’ll leave you riveted.


-Hillary Smotherman

I didn't want to start a thread purely for this, so I tacked it onto the review thread. Hope that's ok.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/n...lesharers.html

I've wanted to see this movie ever since it won an award for its script. I guess it has been one of those movies which has just popped up with out warning, and scooped up a fair bit of awards in the process. James Cameron must have a little annoyed when his ex-wife's film got the award for best picture over Avatar though haha.