The Hurt Locker

A tense psychological study, The Hurt Locker tells the story of an Army Bomb Squad Unit stationed in Iraq. Take the ordinary stress of being a bomb team and then add in the component that everyone is hostile and trying to shoot you, and you end up with a tightly wound crew of men that are just as dangerous as the bombs that they are diffusing.

This suspenseful tale is full of authentic detail and tension. It focuses on the job and says little about the political situation that puts them there. It’s about the men and what the jobs does to them. It also says a lot about what kind of men could do the job in the first place.

The director, Kathryn Bigelow, is no strangler to action. As director of fan favorite, Point Break, she knows how to open up this world of men and give us a peak inside. Jeremy Renner is excellent as the lead bomb technician. His recklessness causes the rest of the team to both despise and admire him.

The details in this film reveal a world that we’ve only known through the news and other media. Imagine the men and women that have to work there everyday, never knowing who is friendly, or hostile. I think this film is important because it brings a little understanding, understanding of what our men and women must go through, and an understanding of a country that has become too accustomed to war. I believe this film is well worth your time.

Rating: First Run A tightly wound psychological drama.