Sunday 12 September 2010

The Hurt Locker

Movie Review: The Hurt Locker (*** out of 4 stars)

Year of Release: 2008
Country of Origin: USA
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty

Plot outline: Three members of the Army's elite Explosive Ordnance Disposal squad battle insurgents and each other as they search for and disarm a wave of roadside bombs on the streets of Baghdad-in order to try and make the city a safer place for Iraqis and Americans alike (IMDb).

The story (*** Story-wise, there’s not much to this--they get called to a bomb, they diffuse the bomb, they move onto the next bomb--repeat until tour of duty ends. It does feel like there’s something missing from the film--we witness the present-day camaraderie of the characters, but have very little sense of who they really are, what really motivates them.)
How the story unfolds (***)
The characters (*** The film’s main failing is a lack of real character development--but maybe that’s the point--it’s a slice of life, very specific to the time and place)
The dialogue (***)
The acting (***)

Overall rating *** out of 4 stars

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