unmitigated horror. Jeremy Renner is a real find. He is superb. A kind soul, wild man with enough arrogance to make him appear reckless and yet his humanity precedes him. People may commit the mistake of avoiding this gem thinking that it's just a war film. Don't. It isn't. It's a great, engrossing film about human emotions, not to be missed.

about this one specifically.The story is deeply emotional, depicting a thoroughly disturbed individual's life in hell. Jeremy Renner gives an incredibly powerful performance as an EOD officer completely hooked on adrenaline stemming from his everyday close shaves with death.All aspects of film-making are top-notch, from the brilliantly subversive screenplay through vivid cinematography, masterful directing and perfectly paced editing.In its storytelling the filmmakers wisely break with traditional Hollywood narrative techniques. There is no clear antagonist, no rising action, no obvious character development and no climax. And yet the film manages to be more interesting, tense and suspenseful than any Hollywood action thriller I've seen in years while making a powerful, yet subtle statement about the insane addiction that is war. Kudos for everyone involved for making this film without compromising.This is pure quality, cinematic storytelling at its best, a thinking man's actioner.

Kathryn Bigelow, he said things like "I don't tell her how to direct and she doesn't tell me how to act" Watching the film I felt that childish arrogance belonged to the character by his personal appearance showed it belonged to the actor. In any case, it works on the screen. A character you warm up to almost immediately in spite of his contradictions. Remmer will remind you at times of Robert Redford and others of Michael J Pollard. He is truly terrific so try to avoid his personal appearances not to contaminate that impression. The rest of the cast works wonders and the brief cameos by Guy Pearce and Ralph Finnes are the most organic and unobtrusive cameos I've ever seen in my life. All in all extraordinary. I predict, even if we're only in June, that Kathryn Bigelow risks to be the first female director to win the Academy Award. She certainly got my vote.

This isn't bashing the American soldiers at all or even War. It gives us a great deal of appreciation for our troops who are risking their lives every single day for Us, Freedom and the U.S.A.The true purpose of this movie is to not just praise the soldiers. But for one of the military's unrecognized heroes which are the technicians of the bombs squads who risk their lives to save others. This is the purpose of the movie to let everyone know what these people do.This time and I know all of you out there, don't want to hear it, the critics are actually right. This movie is fantastically directed by Kathryn Bigelow and she rightfully deserved her Oscar for best director.I know many Avatar fans out there probably rated this movie a 1, without even seeing it because it won Best Picture and Avatar didn't. This movie seems its suffering from the curse of Best Picture. More people have watched Avatar than the Hurt Locker. So of course this film has gotten bashed by so many. I think SOME of the bad reviews are the Avatar Fanboys who are just angry Avatar didn't win Best Picture.Please don't just go along with the bad reviews this film has gotten from IMDb. Just try and watch this film.The Hurt Locker is a war epic, that I hope it becomes appreciative as time passes. 9/10 Highly recommended.

series of bomb threats that the team have to overcome. These are all thrilling, tense. What makes the film really shine, however, is its anti-war messages. In the tradition of Apocalypse Now 1979 and Come And See 1985 The Hurt Locker shows that people get hurt and killed in wars, even if they don't deserve it. It shows that the victims are just like anyone else except that they're in a war zone. The film doesn't directly criticize the American war effort. There are no discussions about whether the Iraq war is moral or immoral. Bigelow's direction is truly impressive. She certainly knows how to work with actors. The acting is obviously superb, and this is the film's greatest strength. Also notable is the cinematography by Barry Ackroyd. The war hasn't looked this realistic or this interesting in cinema until The Hurt Locker. The images captured are thoughtful and memorable. No wonder the film was the big winner at the 2010 Academy Awards. Some films that win Best Picture don't deserve it, but The Hurt Locker sure did deserve it. It's one of the best war films ever, and I highly recommend it.

popcorn approach from the scenes involving gunplay and bombings, making for a much more natural, realistic effect.The interaction between the U.S soldiers is first-rate, showing how the Bush government's ham-fisted invasion of Iraq has affected the troops' effectiveness on the ground, and its alliance with Iraqi civilians.Performances are perfect. Jeremy Renner is excellent as Staff Sergeant James, who loves the rush of disarming bombs, even if it means putting his fellow soldiers at risk. Anthony Mackie is great as the level-headed Sanborn, while Brian Geraghty scores strongly as Eldridge, who admires both James and Sanborn, but can't decide which side to take.A great companion piece to Brian DePalma's criminally under-rated 'Redacted', 'The Hurt Locker' is an incredibly vivid, technically brilliant drama that shows that the people who suffer the most during war are the ones who have to experience it first-hand, and that a war plan half-completed can only lead to disaster. It is also great to see Kathryn Bigelow 'Near Dark'/'The Loveless'/'Strange Days'/'Point Break'/'K-19 : The Widowmaker' back, showing once again what a terrific film-maker she is.

Renner, Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty all gave good performances though not memorable in any way, they carry the sentiments of the soldiers currently serving in the Iraq war and I believe justice is brought to each of their roles. Supporting roles include Ralph Fiennes, who is everywhere right now, Guy Pearce and David Morse. Although much of them are pretty much in only a scene or two, they did pretty well considering. The Hurt Locker is a movie that transcends politics and all that mumbo jumbo. Simply put, this movie is a kickass action pic that grabs you by the throat and won't let go until the end credits roll. If you're into this kind of stuff, then this is a must see.

not being told and it really left me wanting more. Perhaps this really should have been told in a mini-series format, because some things are just left hanging and you need to fill in the details yourself. Maybe if it was a mini-series though, the Generation Kill producers would cry foul, because they're that close in format to one another. It makes me wonder which production came first or was there some collaboration between them? Bottom line, if you liked Generation Kill, then you'll like this without a doubt. It's production is the same caliber and it's only missing the length to call it a true squeal.

but like the year when CRASH beat BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN the Academy voters have rehabilitated themselves by giving the best picture to the film that deserved it the most . This film deserved to soundly beat Cameron's movie .!!!!!! SUGGESTIVE SPOILERS !!!!! Some people of a military background have criticised the film for a lack of realism in operational matters and having never served in a conflict I'll take their word for it . What is important in film making is artistic license , similar to John Ford's mantra of " Always print the legend " but the film does suffer slightly from incidents that don't ring true such as Sgt James holding a suspected insurgent t gunpoint and making him drive to a characters house only for him to hike through downtown Baghdad back to base . There's also another unlikely event where Sgt James gets two colleagues to follow him in to a dangerous district without any backup . I realise this is character development where James is becoming more addicted to the conflict but one can't help feeling screenwriter Mark Boal could have done this in a more successful way because it does jar somewhat That said the other aspects of the film work superbly . Kathryn Bigelow directs in a cinema verity way with hand held cameras and sharp elliptical editing and use of sound . One noticeable use of sound is a gun battle in the desert . A bullet from a modern assault rifle travels roughly three times the speed of sound and accordingly the old cliché that " you never hear the bullet that kills you " happens here , and it's much more effective than cinematic convention a character falls down dead as a gunshot in the distance rings out . The scene also makes good use of lighting . There's no time frame on the scene but you can tell it happens over a considerable period due to the sun light dulling . How many times have you seen this type of sequence and it always seems to take place in real time Films about the war in Iraq have performed poorly in box office terms and THE HURT LOCKER is no exception . It does stand head and shoulders above its fellows down to the critical praise it has garnished . I had previously thought that Nick Broomfields THE BATTLE OF HADITHA was the best film featuring Iraq but Bigelow's movie overtakes it . Interestingly both films try not to bring too much politics in it and whilst Broomfield has scene where a Jihadist cleric is overjoyed that civilians have been killed by the Americans , THE HURT LOCKER sees an Iraqi civilian used as a proxy bomb . You might not agree with the invasion of Iraq but every fair minded person must see that the worst human right offenders aren't wearing American uniforms