Vaughn On Movies – The World's Toughest Movie Critic™

From director Kathryn Bigelow comes The Hurt Locker, a movie of nail biting suspense. Following a bomb disposal team through Iraq in 2004 this movie has the right formula to spur controversy through naïve resentment or romanticizing the realities of battle, but it strikes me as more of a fair portrayal than playing on political whims.

Following Sergeant First Class William James (Jeremy Renner), we are taken into the dangerous world of Bravo Company. He’s new to the team and fighting alongside him are Sgt. JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Spc. Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty). Each has demons. Sanborn wants a son to pass on his legacy, while grim images of a typical day wear on Eldridge. On the other side of things James is dangerous to some degree—ready to suit up and get his hands wet when a robot will suffice. Despite being new to the squad, James is the leader who constantly pushes his men into dangerous situations while they contemplate if he’s suicidal.

Tension has a new synonym. People will start saying in their daily civilian lives phrases like, “man today, was real a hurt locker”. I have never endured a film that had me this on edge. Every moment holds a veil of immediate danger over the viewer. I credit this to the screenplay by Mark Boal, which constantly places the characters in dangerous surroundings. It doesn’t matter if they are handling a bomb, drinking beer, or riding in the Humvee, they always feel vulnerable.

I’m not immensely familiar with the work of Jeremy Renner (aside from the atrocious 28 Week Later but that’s out of his hands). Renner puts forth a believable performance. His character is kind of a one-note guy, given that his situations are universally placing him in peril he doesn’t have a lot else to do then look cool under pressure. Supporting players Mackie and Gerghty likewise are solid but not dynamic again due to the nature of their parts. Had there been more characterization in film we would have certainly been detoured from the tension. What exists is a favorable balance since at no time are we drawn to the fact that these are actors.

It may seem like I’m picking at ants on the hill that is otherwise quality cinema, but anachronisms in a film placed in modern times are uncalled for. Titles state early on that we are witnessing Baghdad in the year 2004. If this is true, we shouldn’t see an Xbox 360 playing Gears of War or hear the mention of YouTube. Most important for a film of this genre, they didn’t even get the costumes right because digital cameo wasn’t standard till the fall of 2005. These are all things that exist today, but not in 2004. It wouldn’t have taken a ton of research for continuity to get this right. Actually I’m amazed the actors didn’t step forward and inquire about what year this film takes place. In my book, the sloppiness of errors such as these detours giving The Hurt Locker into rarified status.

I’m also not a fan of “shaky cam”. It can be used effectively, and The Hurt Locker is not the greatest offender, but it’s not something I am prepared to associate with quality cinema. I still don’t see a future for it beyond a passing fad to liven up fictitious drama. I don’t feel as though I am closer to the action because in actuality you don’t bob your head needlessly regardless of the situation. Bigelow would have better serviced the script by reteaming with her Point Break cinematographer, the sorely missed Jan de Bont.

The Hurt Locker is unconventional and in the views of many is more of an emotional experience than a traditional narrative. It plays well to its strengths but the wit and plot twists found in a total movie experience are absent. It’s unsettling to think that this year’s Best Picture winner could be less historically accurate than Transformers, but worse things have happened in the past ten years. ***