The Hurt Locker

Welcome to another episode of The "D" List.

Today's film is The Hurt Locker. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow. Written by Mark Boal.

This film has gotten a lot of positive buzz over the past few weeks and historically I avoid war movies. I just don't see the entertainment value. I am very pleased to report that I went against my gut and followed the lead of the good reviews. And to my surprise I was treated to one of the best movie going experiences this year.

Our story takes us to 2004 Iraq in the midst of the war. After an army's bomb disarming unit's leader is killed, he is replaced by Staff Sergeant William James played by the amazing Jeremy Renner. The rest of the unit is comprised of 2 other men. Sergent JT Sandborn played by the very talented and underrated Anthony Mackie and Specialist Owen Eldridge played by Brian Geraghty. The rest of the film is spent with the team trying to adjust to James renegade style of disarming bombs in the field while staying alive until their rotation is done in just over a month.

In a nutshell that's The Hurt Locker but that summary pales in comparison to what this film really is. Without a doubt this film is one of the year's best drama/thrillers. There is so much tension weaved throughout the story from the bomb disarming scenes to the conflict that arises between the team and their new fearless leader. And let me tell you James was FEARLESS in this movie. That is one of the aspects that makes The Hurt Locker work so well. Renner takes this character and just owns it. He brings so much life into James that when you see him attempt to disarm a bomb you are not only confident that he will get the job done but you are in awe at how he does it with so much ease.

His character is not afraid of death and that attitude is looked upon by his teammates as reckless cowboy behavior. Which cause instant lack of trust issues between Sandborn and James. To me he was super cool. This guy is great at what he does and is not afraid to jump into the fire with both feet. And let's be real here for a second. If your job is to disarm bombs in the middle of hell during a time where some of the people living there see you as the enemy, then you have to have balls of steel to tackle the insurgents head on with a "bring it on" demeanor. He very well has earned himself a possible best actor nomination. Certainly a golden globe nod. He was that good.

I just have 1 question about this elite bomb unit. There are 3 men in the unit. The bomb expert and 2 men for protection cover (snipers, bad guys hiding out with remote detonators) stuff like that. Why are there only 2 guys watching the bomb guy's back? I would have an army keeping this guy covered. Let's face it, the bombs were placed around the city for a reason......To kill the soldiers and their supporters. It would be natural to think that some of the bombs are booby trapped or decoy's set up for a larger attack. If that's the case then 2 guys are not enough to protect the bomb disarmer. I'm not sure if this is a script question or an army question. I'm inclined to think the latter in which case doesn't surprise me. Anyway that's besides the point of this review. It's just something I picked up on as Will and his guys went out and played with the bad guys toys. And it was those scenes that drove the film's tension up several notches.

The TV spots for this movie has been labeling this as the best action film of 2009. I know that that strategic wordplay is designed to get butts in the seats but let me tell you right here and now. The Hurt Locker is NOT and action film. It's a drama/thriller and a damn good one. The scenes where Will disarms the bombs are filled with so much anxiety that you can't wait for it to end just so you know that our heroes escape unscathed. There is another amazing sequence in the desert where James' team run into a bunch of british bounty hunters stranded after a flat tire. They are suddenly attacked and the brits are being picked off one at a time. This leaves our elite unit to fend for themselves while trying to not get hit by a sniper's bullet. Long story short this scene establishes Sandborn and James' trust issues when James has to spot for Sandborn as he tries to take out the sniper that's trying to take them out. It was a brilliant cat and mouse game between the good and bad guys. Who will shoot 1st. Who will miss 1st. Who will break in the sweltering heat. Brilliantly done.

This movie is character driven with a very strong cast highlighted by Renner and Mackie. There were a couple of heavyweight cameos as well. Guy Pearce as the bomb unit leader that's killed in the beginning. David Morse as a commanding infantry officer and Raplh Fiennes as the leader of the british bounty hunters.

You add all of this into the equation with a razor sharp script and very solid directing you get what could be a wild card for a Best Picture nomination. The field has been upped to 10 films instead of the traditional 5 so there's a real good chance that The Hurt Locker could slip into the mix. And in my humble opinion it not only should slip in but should stand tall and be recognized for the fine piece of story telling that it is.

On the 5 star scale. The Hurt Locker gets 4.5 stars and a "Worth Every Penny" recommendation. With the film's limited release it may be hard to catch this one so be on the lookout.........OOPS! Silly me. It's getting a national release this friday so you will have the chance to catch it at your local theater. Do yourself a favor and see this movie. You will not be disappointed.

That's all for today.

My next review will probably be Harry Potter and the Half Blood Price.

Until Next Episode.....I'll Save You A Seat!

"D"