Review of The Hurt Locker (2008) by Dann M — 29 Jan 2016

A suspenseful and thrilling war film from director Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker is a smart and uncompromising look at the lives of soldiers serving in Iraq. The story follows a bomb disposal unit as they go out on missions to deal with car bombs, suicide bombers, and IEDs, but the team leader's wild and reckless attitude soon pushes his team members to their breaking point.

Jeremy Renner gives an outstanding performance, and is able to convey a lot through subtle looks and movements. Additionally, there are some strong supporting performances by Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, and Evangeline Lilly.

Bigelow's directing is also incredibly well-done and gives the film a gritty and raw quality. And, the writing's remarkably tight and keeps the focus on the soldiers and their personal struggles; avoiding any political commentary about the war.

A provocative character drama, The Hurt Locker asks some hard questions about the effects that war has on the soldiers who fight it.