Review: The Hurt Locker (2008)
I was looking forward to The Hurt Locker ever since I saw the preview many months ago. And I think every one else was too because I had to wait a long time to get it from Netflix. I’ll start by saying, I like movies about war. I don’t really want to explain why. I could try to give a lengthy explanation about it but it doesn’t matter. I’ve never been to war, and I don’t want to go. So don’t call your local recruiter and tell ‘em about me. Needless to say (don’t quite understand that phrase, but I think it fits here), I really wanted to see this.
The plot is very simple, a glimpse into the life of an elite Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) unit in Iraq. We see what they deal with on any given mission. The man watching you from the balcony could be the bomber. The man herding goats could be a sniper. Then there’s the bomb in front of you that could blow up. The director does a wonderful job of putting us in the field with the EOD unit and showing what they have to do to cope. Everybody isn’t built the same. Some need the adrenaline rush to feel alive. Some don’t know whether they can make the hard decisions. And others still can’t figure out where they are in their lives and don’t realize that it’s time to take that next step.
Having never been to war (and still not wanting to go), I think the world we are shown is very real. And if this is what they have to go through in 1 month, I couldn’t imagine being stationed their for 1 year. I have the utmost respect for these people that do, everyday, what I couldn’t imagine doing once in my life.
Brilliantly directed by Kathryn Bigelow, with top performances by Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie.
See it.