2009 Best Film Nominee #2- The Hurt Locker

The final shock:  I disagreed with the Academy over the best picture of the year, bravely placing their selection, The Hurt Locker, all the way down at 2.  I’m not going to pretend like this is an ‘inferior’ film and try to blast holes in it for my own sake, rather, I believe this was an excellent film, much like Precious, that simply got outdone.

I LOVE the premise of this film.  The opening quote states it so perfectly: “The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug.”  What a great twist!  Every war movie seems to follow the same cookie-cutter format now a days and this one comes along and completely bucks the trend.  It presents war not as a heroic enterprise, but as a fix for an adrenaline junkie.  This is not to say that soldiers are not heroes and the men and women fighting overseas are not offering the ultimate sacrifice for their country.  Rather, it bravely offers the counterpoint to mainstream thought about members of the military:  some people like fighting, further; they’re addicted to it.

This innovative premise is then maximized due to excellent direction and great acting.  Director Kathryn Bigelow certainly is deserving of her Oscar as she had the tall task of infusing nervous anticipation and intensity into every second of the film.  Her direction allowed for the perpetual feeling of impending doom that is necessary to get the audience’s adrenaline pumping enough for us to actually feel what the theme presents- that the rush of war is powerful enough to be addictive- even if it’s only the tiniest microcosm of reality.  Without that direction and that edge of your seat anticipation, the film does not connect and the theme and everything so great about the premise is lost.  Fortunately for the viewer, Bigelow delivers an excellent film.

Even with the great premise and excellent direction, the film still would not have been nearly as powerful if it weren’t for great acting, particularly from Jeremy Renner.  His Oscar nomination was well deserved as he accomplished what every actor or filmmaker strives to be able to accomplish- he communicated his character’s thoughts through actions and looks, no words.  There are so many times in the film in which his character does something taboo and the only explanation the other characters get (and the audience for that matter) is a close-up of Renner’s face.  He does an impeccable job of not over-acting nor remaining too flat, but finding that perfect middle ground in which his eyes and expression tell the story in a very real, human way.

All the other aspects of the production are very well done also.  From the writing to the sound editing to the cinematography, it is clear that a lot of talent worked on this film and it is reflected in the end result. 

However, if I were to critique (and I am) I would argue that there are some minor story issues.  First, I felt that, based solely on story, the film would have dragged at parts if it weren’t for the excellent direction of Bigelow.  The story never really progresses. It just changes scenery:  a new bomb, a new impending danger, and the same protocol for dealing with it.  Obviously, it’s not that mundane considering it’s people’s lives at stake, but for the sake of argument, the story stalls.

My other point of contention… the ending.  There are two ways of ending this film, in my opinion, different than how it ends (I’ll try not to ruin it).  One (and my preferred way), leave him standing in the grocery store towards the end, trying to process his decision.  I felt that picture spoke a billion words towards what was going through the character’s mind and the contrast perfectly proved the theme.  Two, extend the film by at least 30 minutes to properly show him acclimating to his new surroundings before the ‘relapse’ that ends the film.  (Sorry for being vague, but I am trying not to spoil the ending if you haven’t seen it.)  The way it actually ends feels rushed to me and I could easily do without the last 5 or so minutes after the grocery store.

The Hurt Locker is an excellent movie and a must see for any and all viewers.  It ambitiously tackles a non-mainstream idea about war and executes that idea tastefully and effectively, leaving the audience with a sense that this is a real issue in the real world.  Any time a film can achieve that transcendence, it’s done something right. (I guess it helps that it’s based on real life experiences, but I won’t get into that…)  If you haven’t done so already, check out The Hurt Locker.

Scale: 

1-  Lots of Better Movies at Blockbuster   

2-  Might Be Worth Renting

3-  Rent It When You Get to It

4-  A Must Rent, at some point

5-  Put It in Your Queue NOW!

My Rating: 4.5

Buy The Hurt Locker