This is what I am talking about. "The Hurt Locker" is easily one of the best movies of the year. You talk about a thrilling, bada$$, suspenseful, realistic war movie. This is exactly it. With great direction by Kathryn Bigelow (yes, a girl), a terrific screenplay, beautiful cinematography, and Oscar-worthy performances, "The Hurt Locker" is the very definition of a great film. My eyes were glued to the screen as I was genuinely thrilled by each classic, suspenseful moment. Truly an achievement in film that must receive some recognition by the Academy.
The performances here by the somewhat unknown cast is one of the many strengths of this movie. Jeremy Renner gives a performance that will give him a best actor nomination (in my book, at least). Renner plays Staff Sergeant William James amazingly natural, being the cocky and confident person that James is. In short, Renner's performance is simply a tour de force. Another performance here that should (but probably won't) get an Oscar nomination is Anthony Mackie, who plays Sergeant JT Sanborn, a tough soldier who isn't afraid to tell the truth, even to William James. Mackie's ability to be so authentic makes his performance admirable. From actors like Brain Geraghty to legends like Ralph Fiennes, nobody here misses a beat.
Let me give you the story, straight up. It is the war in Iraq, and anything and everything could possibly be a bomb. This includes some wire coming from the ground, to a bomb implanted inside a human's body. An elite bomb squad of three must come together and disarm all the bombs they can, stopping the potential death of many innocent people. Led by the fearless and seemingly overconfident William James (Renner), the two others in the group, Sanborn (Mackie) and Eldridge (Geraghty), are shocked and brought into a whirlwind of trouble by James' ego and mentality of no fear. In the beginning of the film, the saying "war is a drug" pops up. James' behavior on the battlefield disarming bombs explains this statement.
What more can I say about this terrific film that is so well-made and masterly crafted. Director Kathryn Bigelow knew what she wanted to accomplish here, and she did it. She wanted to make an extremely suspenseful thriller worthy of many Oscars , and she did it. This is a different war movie than most out there. But I am going to go and put this film in the same breadth as "Saving Private Ryan". What sets these two war movies apart from the others is that they are "scary real". Both feel so authentic and realistic, that it is scary. My eyes couldn't leave the screen. As a result, "The Hurt Locker" is a monumental accomplishment that is worthy of endless praise.
Rating: 4 out of 4
