Starring: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty
Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow
Written by: Mark Goal
Studio: First Light Productions
THE HURT LOCKER is a weird film. In a way, it represents a union of faux-documentary directing with the older, more respected tradition of the psychologically-driven war story (think Full Metal Jacket, Apocalypse Now, etc.). As a result, the flick carries a real feeling of intensity to it the majority of the time. But at the same time, the film's moments of subtlety and candidness almost costs it some excitement. Needless to say, my feelings are mixed about this out of the norm soldier's tale.
The story takes place in 2004 during the 2nd Iraq War, but the precise setting matters little here (thankfully, I don't need more overwought THIS WAR WAS WRONG messages). Our protags, stationed in a war-torn, anarchic place, carry out the last job anyone would want to have in an urban war zone: bomb investigation and defusal. Except Sergeant James isn't like everyone else in that he kinda loves fucking around with things designed to explode and kill. Time and time again we see James enter outrageously dangerous situations, often without provocation, and save the day, only to go and smoke a cigarette and wait eagerly for the next round of harrowing missions.
From the scenes where James is alone or otherwise off-duty, one quickly hypothesizes how this guy became a nutcase: he's an innate altruist that, as a result of his many death-defying acts of self-less, since developed a strong taste for an adrenaline high. These auspicious groundings, combined with the stress of the environment he prefers to work in, rendered him a bonafide junkie: someone that would sacrifice all other values and safeties in order to get high. A tragedy, really.
But while this very powerful and complex message sublimes through little talk and mostly show (good writing!), we pick up on it before the middle of the movie...and nothing else really gets revealed or changes about the character (no so good writing). Mission after mission James either fucks up or saves the day, and his reactions follow a strict line of predictability. At the very end, we see him decide to abandon his family yet again and return to Iraq for another tour of disarming bombs; this, although still depressing, wasn't as devastating of a scene as the writer thought it would seem. I left feeling underwhelmed, not upset.
Direction: I usually hate "ultra-realistic" shaky-cam, but Bigelow used it in just the right doses (unlike, say, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA). No one could bare to look away from the close, tense shots of the combat scenes.
Writing: I get that this film was more of a "case study" of an adrenaline junkie rather than a traditional narrative, but I had trouble staying interested in James when I realized the character lacked an arc. And while the richness of his personality was great, his squad members came off as dull and reactive by comparison.
Acting: Jeremy Renner knocked that shit out of the park. All the little cameos by "big" names rocked too, minus Evangeline Lilly naturally.
Editing: Some of the non-combat scenes moved at a snail's pace.
Sound: Crisp, which is important given the plurality of nail-biting situations where a sound meant someone ate it.
Soundtrack/Score: eh.
Self-Awareness: Ain't that kind of movie, soldier.
Overall rating: ***
~Ian
The story takes place in 2004 during the 2nd Iraq War, but the precise setting matters little here (thankfully, I don't need more overwought THIS WAR WAS WRONG messages). Our protags, stationed in a war-torn, anarchic place, carry out the last job anyone would want to have in an urban war zone: bomb investigation and defusal. Except Sergeant James isn't like everyone else in that he kinda loves fucking around with things designed to explode and kill. Time and time again we see James enter outrageously dangerous situations, often without provocation, and save the day, only to go and smoke a cigarette and wait eagerly for the next round of harrowing missions.
From the scenes where James is alone or otherwise off-duty, one quickly hypothesizes how this guy became a nutcase: he's an innate altruist that, as a result of his many death-defying acts of self-less, since developed a strong taste for an adrenaline high. These auspicious groundings, combined with the stress of the environment he prefers to work in, rendered him a bonafide junkie: someone that would sacrifice all other values and safeties in order to get high. A tragedy, really.
But while this very powerful and complex message sublimes through little talk and mostly show (good writing!), we pick up on it before the middle of the movie...and nothing else really gets revealed or changes about the character (no so good writing). Mission after mission James either fucks up or saves the day, and his reactions follow a strict line of predictability. At the very end, we see him decide to abandon his family yet again and return to Iraq for another tour of disarming bombs; this, although still depressing, wasn't as devastating of a scene as the writer thought it would seem. I left feeling underwhelmed, not upset.
Direction: I usually hate "ultra-realistic" shaky-cam, but Bigelow used it in just the right doses (unlike, say, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA). No one could bare to look away from the close, tense shots of the combat scenes.
Writing: I get that this film was more of a "case study" of an adrenaline junkie rather than a traditional narrative, but I had trouble staying interested in James when I realized the character lacked an arc. And while the richness of his personality was great, his squad members came off as dull and reactive by comparison.
Acting: Jeremy Renner knocked that shit out of the park. All the little cameos by "big" names rocked too, minus Evangeline Lilly naturally.
Editing: Some of the non-combat scenes moved at a snail's pace.
Sound: Crisp, which is important given the plurality of nail-biting situations where a sound meant someone ate it.
Soundtrack/Score: eh.
Self-Awareness: Ain't that kind of movie, soldier.
Overall rating: ***
~Ian
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