Today’s quick review: The Hurt Locker. After an Army bomb disposal technician (Guy Pearce) is killed in the line of duty, Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) takes his place. James’ reckless style immediately puts him at odds with his team, consisting of Sergeant JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Elridge (Brian Geraghty). To survive their last month in Baghdad, the men must find the right balance between boldness and caution.
The Hurt Locker is a war drama that steps inside the lives of an OED team during the Iraq War. James, Sanborn, and Elridge face death on a daily basis, whether it’s in the form of a roadside bomb, a car full of explosives, or an enemy with a gun. The Hurt Locker specializes in tense situations that never go according to plan. High tension, multifaceted characters, and a couple of powerful gut punches make the film an engrossing watch.
The Hurt Locker is as much about James, Sanborn, and Elridge as the bombs they dispose of. James is a risk-taker in an already risky profession, putting lives on the line to finish the job as quickly as possible. In contrast, Sanborn is cautious to a fault, and Elridge struggles to handle the pressure. The psychological angle ties the film together thematically, turning a series of incidents into the story of three men trying to hold it together.
How much you get out of The Hurt Locker will depend on your taste in drama. The film’s bleak tone and mature content will be too much for some viewers, while others will dislike the reactive nature of the action, in contrast to the proactive nature of traditional war movies. But for those willing to invest in the characters and situations, The Hurt Locker is a well-crafted movie with a lot to offer.
For a thriller from the same director, try Zero Dark Thirty. For a less eventful portrait of military life, try Jarhead. For a more scathing take on war and the military, try Full Metal Jacket. For another look at the hardships of war, try Saving Private Ryan.
7.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for robust and effective drama.