The Hurt Locker 2008

      This film is an intense portrayal of elite soldiers who have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.  They are tasked with disarming bombs in the heat of combat.  James is a new sergeant and he takes over a highly trained bomb disposal team during a violent conflict.  He surprises his two subordinates Sanborn and Eldridge by recklessly plunging them into a deadly game of urban combat.  He is behaving as if he's indifferent to death??   As the men struggle to control their wild new leader, the city explodes into chaos and James' true character reveals itself in a way that will change each man forever!!


     The Hurt Locker is a tough, serious, moving and very well put together film.  Jeremy Renner and all of the other actors are outstanding.  Language is frequent and there is realistic use of salty expressions used in a war zone.  Violence is prevalent, many explosions, a person has a bomb strapped to them and is blown up.   A boy's body is found with a bomb inside his body and is it is gruesomely removed.   Characters have close calls and blood is shown splattering after characters are shot.  Many people are shot and killed, two soldiers have a brief brawl and a few punches are exchanged.  There are many examples of positive role models.  The main character, Will James is a 'live on the edge' kind of guy and he enjoys the thrill of nearly dying??  This quality is not one that would be particularly called good?  Later in the movie, Will realizes how he puts others in danger with his actions.  He is brave to the point of foolishness and calm in tight and dangerous situations.  But, it can be dangerous to be too fearless?  A little fear can be an equalizer!!  5* (I really liked this movie)
 
131 min, Drama directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal with Jeremy Renner Anthony Mackie, Brain Geraghty, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Evangeline Lilly, Christian Camargo, Christopher Sayegh, Nabil Koni, Sam Spruell, Sam Redford, Feisal Sadoun, Barrie Rice.

Note:  Imdb 7.5* our of 5* with 427,036 reviews, Common Sense Media age 17+, Rotten Tomatoes 97% with 289 reviews 84% with 50,000+ audience scores, Roger Ebert 4*, The Guardian 5* Peter Bradshaw, Metacritic 95 out of 100 with 37 critic reviews 7.3* out of 10 with 1523 user scores.

Special Note:  Filmed in the country of Jordan.  Access was denied for a week of filming at a U.S. Military Base in Kuwait.  Director Kathryn Bigelow claims that no scene filmed was left out of the final cut.  The expression "the hurt locker" is a slang term for a situation involving trouble or pain.  This can be traced back to the Vietnam War.  According to the movie's website, it is soldier vernacular in Iraq to speak of explosions as sending you to "the hurt locker.”  The bomb disposal outfit worn by actor Jeremy Renner was authentic apparel.  It was director James Cameron who convinced his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow to direct this film.  She originally had planned on doing another project and wasn't sure about doing this film.  Cameron read the script and told her she should to do this film.  It ended up earning her an Oscar nomination and an award for Best Director.  In fact, the film was nominated in nine categories against Cameron’s Avatar (2009).  Hurt Locker won six awards including Best Picture.  Cameron himself said, "I wouldn't bet against her.”
 5* (I really liked this movie)

Mistakes:  One character says an Iraqi with a video camera is preparing a clip for YouTube.  The scene takes place in 2004 and YouTube was created in 2005.  Specialist Eldridge plays Gears of War on an Xbox 360 when Colonel Cambridge enters the room to counsel him.  The Xbox 360 was first released 2005 and Gears of War debuted in November 2006 but the setting is Baghdad in 2004.  In the movie, all soldiers are wearing the digital ACU (Army Combat Uniform).  In the opening scene taking place in Baghdad in 2004, the first units to be issued the ACU did not receive them until February of 2005.  The correct uniform for the time period would have been the three color DCU (Desert Combat Uniform).