The Hurt Locker (2009)
131 Mins.
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty.
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
‘The Hurt Locker’ grabs hold of the audience within the first few frames and doesn’t let go until the credits start rolling. In these first few frames you are thrown directly into the middle of an Army bomb squad unit based in Iraq. These soldiers defuse bombs while under the extreme intensity and tension of an unrelenting war.
The hero of this film is Staff Sgt. William James (Jeremy Renner) who is new to this particular unit but definitely not to bomb detection in general. When asked by a senior officer how many bombs he’s defused he responds with, “Uh, I’m not quite sure.”. When pushed he finally admits, “873, sir.”. This isn’t something he cockily admits to prove his worth, this is just his job and he does it well.
Sgt. James is accompanied by the other two members of his unit: Sgt. J.T. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Spc. Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty). These two soldiers provide cover fire, watch out for snipers and provide back up to Sgt. James. You are told this unit only has little over a month left and you get the feeling that they are happy to be done with their tour of duty. Well, all except for Sgt. James. He is reckless, compulsive and has one thing on his mind while there. Defusing bombs and “not dying”.
The direction and cinematography in this film are stunning. Kathryn Bigelow puts the audience directly in the action with each shot and this provides an aunthenticity like no other film I have seen. At the end of the film the audience feels as if they just went to Iraq, so much you can almost feel the sand and intense heat on your skin.
Jeremy Renner is a stand out as the reckless Sgt. James. His performance is not the conventional hero type. He is not there to receive medals, he’s there to do a complex job and do it well no matter what the risk may be. If it wasn’t for Jeff Bridges’ astounding turn in Crazy Heart, Jeremy Renner would have easily taken the Best Actor Oscar this year for this straight-forward portrayal.
The Hurt Locker is strides above all films I’ve seen in 2009. The direction, cinematography and acting are all superb but the best part of the film is the story and message this film sends. It’s an honest interpretation of what happens to men of war. This isn’t a film you watch and go along with your day. This film blows your hair back and requires you to sit and reflect for a minute. To leave you with a quote that is not only the first frame of the film but the core theme of the film itself; “War is a drug”.