"War is a Drug", at least according to the main character Staff Sergeant James, played by Jeremy Renner in Kathryn Bigelow's Iraq war set character study, The Hurt Locker, also starring Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty and Christian Camargo along with cameos from Guy Pierce, David Morse and Ralph Feinnes. Told as an exquisite representation of the Soldier's experience, rather than political drama or morality tale, The Hurt Locker succeeds where most Iraq war themed films don't. Showing for the first time, the point of view of the soldiers rather than trying to make some grandiose statement about how politics have influenced every facet of the war, and certainly without manipulating the audience.
Set in Iraq in 2004, Locker takes an intense, edge of your seat look at soldiers who may just have the toughest job in Iraq: Disarming bombs and explosives in a land forever in combat. When their first squad leader is killed on the job, Bravo company's bomb squad is taken over Sargent James, a potentially crazy rogue soldier who shocks his team with his brazen disregard for his own safety and their own. As the disposal unit desperately trys to control their new team leader while disarming bombs, the city explodes with combat leading the three men on a journey that will ultimately change them forever, or will it?
Perhaps most shocking about The Hurt Locker is it's helmer, veteran director Kathryn Bigelow who was last seen a few years ago with the release of the horrendous K19: The Widow Maker. Exploding back on to the film scene like one of the bombs her characters deal with on a daily basis, Bigelow has crafted perhaps the best film set within the current Iraq War filling the screen with breathtaking images along with white knuckled tension, making for a future classic.
The direction is sublime, as is the cinematography, editing and sound design, all of which were top notch efforts.
The direction is sublime, as is the cinematography, editing and sound design, all of which were top notch efforts.
However, the film best succeeds with it's performances, uniformly great with two standout 
actors who may be looking at Awards contention come next February. In his first "big" leading man role, Jeremy Renner dominates the screen giving one of the year's best male performances. Radiating attitude, confidence and danger, Renner captivates the audience creating in Sargent James a character who is at one instance a wild danger, death and war junkie, the next a relatable human being that you can sympathize with though it can be a bit of a stretch.
actors who may be looking at Awards contention come next February. In his first "big" leading man role, Jeremy Renner dominates the screen giving one of the year's best male performances. Radiating attitude, confidence and danger, Renner captivates the audience creating in Sargent James a character who is at one instance a wild danger, death and war junkie, the next a relatable human being that you can sympathize with though it can be a bit of a stretch. Also shining, in a supporting role, is Anthony Mackie as Sanborn an war weary cautious, by the book soldier who is forced to trust his team leader, even if his renegade ways do not mesh with his style. Mackie devastates in a role that in the wrong hands couldn't have been more annoying, giving Sanborn a tragic arc that was extremely well handled. Other good performances came from Brian Gerghty, an increasingly talented character actor, as Eldridge, Christian Camargo as Eldridge's sort of counselor, and Ralph Feinnes as a terrorist hunter in the film's best cameo.
The Hurt Locker is definitely a film to see, and I personally cannot wait to see what Ms. Bigelow brings us next.
Grade: B+
Oscar Potential: Pic., Dir., Actor, Sup. Actor, Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Sound
On the cold stone scale: Gotta have it
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