The Hurt Locker

Over six years have passed since America invaded Iraq. Countless Iraqis have died, as have over 4,000 American soldiers. There have been several movies and TV series about the war, all told from the American perspective. I'm sure more movies will come out about the war, both pro and anti, but one thing's clear in my eyes. The debate over whether or not America should have invaded Iraq will probably never end.

In a way, The Hurt Locker is smart for not trying to enter this debate. It doesn't choose a side, it's not critical of the war or supportive of it. This isn't a patriotic movie, nor is it an anti-war film. I can't even recall anyone in the movie even mentioning Saddam Hussein or George W. Bush.

However, that's doesn't mean it's completely neutral either. It's obviously told from the perspective of the American soldiers fighting in Iraq, so I guess you could claim it has a pro-U.S. bias. But I didn't get that sense when I was watching it. Instead, I think the movie was simply trying to show these soldiers doing their job. Clearly it's brave what they're doing, I don't think anyone could argue that it isn't. Instead, The Hurt Locker is a meditation on why someone, anyone, would volunteer their life for such a dangerous mission, and on this scale the results are mixed.

The film focuses on three U.S. soldiers from the Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD), a unit that disarms bombs in a combat zones. The first scene introduces us to what this means quite expertly, as Sgt. Matt Thompson (Guy Pierce) uses a robot to try and disarm a well-hidden bomb in the middle of a Baghdad street. When their attempts at disarming it with the robot fail, Thompson puts on a bulky suit that's supposed to protect him from the blast. Of course the bomb's powerful enough to level the whole block, so the suit only offers at best minimal protection.

Disarming the bomb alone isn't the only thing they have to worry about. The other soldiers in the unit keep an eye out for sniper fire, and anyone looking suspicious (which is every Iraqi pretty much). And hence you get the idea of just what they're up against. Everyday is a struggle to survive and all the soldiers of this unit can do is count the days left on their rotation.

The arrival of a new team leader, William James (Jeremy Renner), causes a strain within the unit. Right from the beginning, James gets himself into one reckless situation after another, from taking off his suit in the middle of disarming a bomb (while under sniper fire!) to leading his unit on a foot-chase in pursuit of insurgents after a suicide bombing. His enthusiasm for the job and cavalier approach to life and death isn't shared by everyone of course, particularly his second-in-command Sgt. Sandborne (Anthony Mackie), who even punches James after he tosses his radio away in the middle of a sniper attack.

The Hurt Locker doesn't comment on the politics of the war, or say which side is right or wrong. Instead, it tries to create a realistic portrayal of soldiers in intense combat situations, and the toll it takes on them, psychologically and emotionally. In this regard, it's hit and miss. There are scenes that feel out of place, such as James' determination to find the family of an Iraqi kid after a horrible tragedy occurs. There's also a bit of homoeroticism thrown in, which may be a nod to fans of director Kathryn Bigelow's most famous movie (and Dashing Fellows favourite) Point Break, but it felt out of place in this movie.

Still, I enjoyed The Hurt Locker. It's a brave, if imperfect, portrayal of brave, but imperfect men, in what is perhaps the worst job in the world. And remember, this is a volunteer army. This movie may not change your opinion of the war in Iraq, but it will definitely give you a better appreciation of the soldiers that are fighting it.