The Hurt Locker

This was an interesting movie. It had some major names here but I guess with budgetary constraints they could not afford them for longer than 5 minutes. Guy Pearce is one of them, his role was in the beginning and he died from a IED bomb blast. Yes, this is an Iraqi war movie and I am sure they will have several of them coming out for the next couple of years. Perhaps longer. I am not sure how Pearce died since he had the full gear on and the blast was about 40 meters behind him. So, that was not filmed that accurately.

Ralph Fiennes graced us with his presence. But he died as well from a sniper fire. The sniper scene in the middle of this movie takes about 15 minutes was well filmed. The dried lips, thirsty heat, bugs in the eye, and the nuts and bolts of ground combat in Iraq were documented in this scene. This is where the three of soldiers bond. After Pearce's death, this new leader steps in. He is a renegade and has a bravado about him that imresses some but frightens up his immediate two team members.

Jeremy Renner is this new recluse I am describing. He was the villian in SWAT. Anthony Mackie is a black guy who we have seen in Eagle Eye and We Are Marshal. I like him, he is a solid actor and seems to take his roles seriously.

The Lost star Evangeline Lilly makes an appearance at the end. He is Renner's wife. Renner loves being in the military. This is a realistic military movie. Some people enjoy it, others do not. Renner does his time in Iraq, flies back to the states, kisses his wife, cleans the rain gutters, probably changes the oil in the car, and kisses his baby. After a couple of weeks or relaxation, flies back to Iraq for another year of bomb disposal. Wearing the bomb suit, at the end, which seems to have some buttons on the right wrist area, a little more high tech and safer than the previous version, this seems to be the reason to pinpoint the camera on that slight detail. Another way to look at is, is that technology may change, but evil never stops. The twisted and wicked are still in shape to wreak havoc and cause mayhem. Good thing the USA and other freedom loving countries have someone like Renner on our side. We would not have freedom any other way. Renner and Mackie's characters are what the miltary work and have outlasted Al Queda in Iraq.

This movie did not have any special music. There were some humorous scenes. What makes this movie tick and good is that it has many characters, several intense scenes, allot of action, and the type of action in this movie was so varied. I thought this was an excellent movie. But, there were some dialogues with some characters that were not that well done, they stretched the movie in a way that one could construe this movie dragged on. That is the knock on it, I know this movie did not have any magnificent expectations. And, I guess the budget did not want to fit in a musical director or anyone in that department with atleast half way talent. Music is what puts a movie over the top. Just go ask the makers of Juno and more recently Slumdog Millionaire. Putting cutting edge and creative music like that in a movie is not an accident. One is a fool if one thinks it is.

I would allocate this movie 3 stars.***