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For a long while, I was unsure how to talk about this film. It’s obviously about the war in Iraq, but it’s not necessarily a war film. There are tense scenes, but it’s not really a suspense/thriller film. The film is less about a certain storyline or eventual showdown, and more about the ability to function in a personal hell. Maybe it just exists.

The film centers around a three-man crew whose specialty is EOD, or Explosive Ordinance Disposal. For those of us not in the military, they’re the bomb squad. Their daily routine is much like that of a firefighter – extremely dangerous situations are going to call, and it’s a question of when, not if. Sgt. William James (played by a surprisingly entertaining Jeremy Renner… wasn’t he in that god-awful S.W.A.T. remake?) is the team leader, who seems to insist on doing things the hard way. Sgt. James appears to be the very definition of above and beyond – wearing bomb suits, refusing the assistance of robot drones, and working under fire. His initial attitude seems to rub his fellow soldiers the wrong way. Taking unnecessary risks, ignoring the rulebook, and relying on instinct seems to create anger amongst the EOD team – at least on the surface. Senior officers drop by to heap praise on Sgt. James while his crew looks on. Are you kidding me? This guy is going to get us killed, they think.

Is Sgt. James the reckless hothead he appears to be? Or is he really that good? Whenever he shares details of his personal life, or even opens his mouth, Sgt. James doesn’t appear to be the perfect soldier, much less the perfect person. But he continues to dive head-first into the worst situations imaginable, and gets the job done while his crew swears they’ve dodged another bullet. And, Sgt. James begins to show flashes of leadership and empathy, suggesting he might be the leader the squad needs. Or is he? Perhaps Sgt. James just lives off of instinct, and he happened to be born to defuse bombs.

Either way, the team both bonds and becomes torn as they count down to their final day of deployment. They’re all sure they’re going to die. After all, it’s not a question of if – but when.

I highly recommend The Hurt Locker, and I don’t feel that I can completely express just why in words. It’s a great film experience, and there’s solid portrayals of real people on screen. I think it’s fair to say that what impressed me most was that the film wasn’t black-and-white, cut and dry, or whatever other catchphrase applies. It was real. Nothing was clear cut or perfectly defined. It was easy to make assumptions that proved to be right and wrong. People aren’t perfect role models, or complete degenerates. People have flaws, and don’t get along, and have degrees of emotions. And this film manages to have real people in the worst place in the world, doing things that happen to make for a great cinematic experience.

Highest recommendation.

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