The Hurt Locker

When my film teacher decided to show my class The Hurt Locker (2008) for Women’s Appreciation Month, I was a little more than skeptical about her choice. First, this was a movie about WAR. I, myself, am not a ‘war’ person at all. I find it all very depressing and lackluster, although there are several exceptions such as Saving Private Ryan and Across Enemy Borders. It does not appeal to my senses in most cases. Which brings up the second point: What does and can a woman director know about war? Although I am a strong feminist, I understand that men do have a little more knowledge in that subject area. As the movie started, I was secretively hoping to sleep through the movie since I assumed it was going to be a typical war film. But boy, I had a whole lot of surprise in store for me.

The movie begins with Staff Sergeant Matt Thompson and his crew (including Specialist Owen Eldridge) deactivating a bomb. When the Specialist sees a man with a phone, he is torn between either shooting the man down or letting the man use his phone and blow up the bomb along with the Sergeant. The Specialist fails to do so and it ends up causing the Sergeant his life. Weighed down with this guilt, Eldridge continues to carry out his duties to his comrades. Later in the story, the viewers stumble across Sergeant First Class William James. This man is visibly different. He does not seem to fear death and actually takes joy in life-risking experiences. Sergeant JT Sanborn calls James a “red-neck madman” from his way of putting everyone- including the team- in danger. As the story later fully develops and unfolds, the audience realizes that the movie actually revolves around William James’s life and how the three characters’ pathways intersect and bond during their call in Iraq.

Not only did this movie thoroughly project the themes of friendship, brotherhood, and loyalty, but it also conveyed more than the mere message of “war-life is hard”, unlike typical war films. It showed how disoriented soldiers became when they returned to their so-called “normal” lives, back in their homes. It showed that real men cry at the loss of their comrades in a war. All of this couldn’t have been fully expressed unless the actors were truly engaged in their roles and the camera works were precise enough to capture every fleeting emotion, action, and language the artists fumed out. In addition to the thrill and adventure the film provided, the story line itself was very intricate and exquisite, with many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. Moreover, this informative feature keeps the moviegoers alert and unconsciously makes them wish for the safety of the characters, even though some may have a totally unlikeable persona (such as Sergeant James), be full of insecurities (like Specialist Eldridge), or be a life-loving soldier, afraid of death (similar to Sergeant Sanborn).

Entertainment: ★★★★★

Social Commentary: ★★★★

Acting: ★★★★★

Total: ★★★★★

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Duration: 131 minutes

Rating: R

Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty