The Hurt Locker (2009)

!!! Seen it in December 2009 !!!

Iraq. Forced to play a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse in the chaos of war, an elite Army bomb squad unit must come together in a city where everyone is a potential enemy and every object could be a deadly bomb. [imdb]

Nominated for 9 Oscars:

Best Picture (WINNER)
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (WINNER)
Best Actor: Jeremy Renner
Best Original Screenplay (WINNER)
Best Cinematography
Best Original Score
Best Editing (WINNER)
Best Sound (WINNER)
Best Sound Editing (WINNER)

I am a lazy ass for not watching this again, but I remember it quite well and more importantly: I remember the experience of seeing it. The Hurt Locker is a good film. What I appreciated a lot, I guess, is that’s it’s not cheesy and it doesn’t judge or at least not in an obvious way. Kathryn Bigelow’s Oscar winning direction is probably the best thing about it; the direction doesn’t just have balls, but it’s also essential in the storytelling aspect.

The action part is very cool, Jeremy Renner and especially Anthony Mackie (his obvious snub from critics and Oscar is mindblowing) give great performances, so faithful to the raw, tense spirit of the film. Because it really is a tense movie, and I guess that’s what makes it so successful and an enjoyable sit through: it rides on the edge, but doesn’t force it. It’s not the Screenplay’s credit (an Oscar win I don’t agree with), it’s all Kathryn’s way of guiding the story and camera.

My rating for the film: 8.5/10. A close 9, but I haven’t given a clear 9 to a 2009 film.