'The Hurt Locker'

************************************************* The Hurt Locker Theatrical Trailer (2:31) ************************************************* ************************************************* The Hurt Locker (2008) ************************************************* Genre: Action | Drama | Thriller | War Release Date: 10 October 2008 (Italy) Director: Kathryn Bigelow Awards: Nominated for 9 Oscars. Another 60 wins & 45 nominations Plot: US Army Sergeant First Class Will James, Sergeant JT Sanborn and Specialist Owen Eldridge comprise the Bravo Company's bomb disposal unit currently stationed in Baghdad. James is the tech team leader. When James arrives on the scene, Bravo Company has thirty-nine days left on its current deployment. It will be a long thirty-nine days for Sanborn and Eldridge whose styles do not mesh with their new leader. James is a renegade for who the thrill of the dismantlement seems to be the ultimate goal regardless of the safety of his fellow team members, others on the scene or himself. On the other hand, Sanborn is by the books: he knows his place and duty and trusts others in the army to carry out theirs as well as he. And Eldridge is an insecure soldier who is constantly worried that an error or misjudgment on his part will lead to the death of an innocent civilian or a military colleague. While the three members face their own internal issues, they have to be aware of any person at the bomb sites, some of who may be bombers themselves. Cast: Jeremy Renner - SSG William James Anthony Mackie - Sgt. JT Sanborn Brian Geraghty - Spc. Owen Eldridge Guy Pearce - SSG Matt Thompson Ralph Fiennes - Contractor Team Leader David Morse - Colonel Reed Evangeline Lilly - Connie James Christian Camargo - Lt. Col. John Cambridge Suhail Aldabbach - Black Suit Man (as Suhail Al-Dabbach) Christopher Sayegh - Beckham Nabil Koni - Professor Nabil Sam Spruell - Contractor Charlie Sam Redford - Contractor Jimmy Feisal Sadoun - Contractor Feisal Barrie Rice - Contractor Chris Rating: 8.0/10 ************************************************* The Hurt Locker is a serious character study and a taut, suspenseful action thriller at once. The subject matter itself - the work of a bomb expert, possibly one of the most nerve-racking jobs on the planet - yields most of the suspense but Bigelow manages to squeeze out every bit of tension of the premise. This film to me was very apolitical - though set in Iraq, it is distinguished from most of the Iraq-themed war films in that it concentrates much more on the job itself than the political environment. Iraq seemed more like a backdrop - any other war would do, The Hurt Locker does not preach about this one specifically. The story is deeply emotional, depicting a thoroughly disturbed individual's life in hell. Jeremy Renner gives an incredibly powerful performance as an EOD officer completely hooked on adrenaline stemming from his everyday close shaves with death. All aspects of film-making are top-notch, from the brilliantly subversive screenplay through vivid cinematography, masterful directing and perfectly paced editing. In its storytelling the filmmakers wisely break with traditional Hollywood narrative techniques. There is no clear antagonist, no rising action, no obvious character development and no climax. And yet the film manages to be more interesting, tense and suspenseful than any Hollywood action thriller I've seen in years while making a powerful, yet subtle statement about the insane addiction that is war. Kudos for everyone involved for making this film without compromising. This is pure quality, cinematic storytelling at its best, a thinking man's actioner.