Review: The Hurt Locker

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I've never been one for war movies, they all seemed the same to me. If I had to pick a favorite, I always went for 'Saving Private Ryan' just because of the cast. Movies like 'The Thin Red Line' and 'Blackhawk Down' all sort of ran together to me. So earlier this year when I had the opportunity to see 'The Hurt Locker', I passed in favor of something else that wasn't as memorable. (I can't even remember what I saw instead) Now after all the fuss and acclaim surrounding the feature, I became a bit more curious. I saw it On Demand, but often opted for 'Uncertainty' or 'District 9' instead. Finally I told myself to stop stereotyping and just rent the damn thing. I'm glad I did.

'The Hurt Locker' is about the brave soldiers that have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world: disarming bombs during the war. After their commander is killed, they are given a new leader in the form of SFC William James (Jeremy Renner). He's all for the thrill of his job, and frankly he makes his comrads Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) a bit nervous. They just want to survive their last few days on the job, and James's recklessness threatens that at times.

While I'm happy I took the plunge, this film will probably end up running together with all the other war movies I've seen. It feels very real, very authentic, and it's edited beautifully. But it's also just kind of...there. Some scenes were intense, but the rest of the film felt like it just existed with a thin plot. Maybe that was the point?

Recommended: Sure 3/5 stars

Memorable Quote: "How about I pretend it's your dick?" Sgt Sanborn (Anthony Mackie)


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