The Hurt Locker (2008)

The Hurt Locker is a film following a bomb disposal team in iraq, i enjoyed the conflict of the daring leader and the rest of his squad that had me intrigued as they always find a way around it and achieve their goals. It was the way that the soldiers let their lives away from the army influence their decisions that gripped me as we found out why these men were so passionate to protect the nation and family that they have left behind. The soldiers fight thier way through hordes of enemies and dispose of bombs that are a risk to themselves and the citizens around them. As they come closer to ending their tour you see their desperation increase. I don't wan't to give anything away but the ending was fantastic.

I was pleased when i found out that this had beaten Avatar to the best picture award, this was because i think that it is films like this, the small grossing hidden gems that get the recognition that they deserve. The scripts were pretty standard, as was the acting, but the realism of the film is the major element of the film that makes it so good. The camera shots of the Iraqi landscapes add an amazing sense to the film. One thing that i would complain about is the gaps in the war that are missing such as why these troops are there in the first place and how they ended up in the army. However this is an extremely good quality film that i believe will be remembered for a few years due to some of its shocking realism that leaves images that stay with you, well done to Kathryn Bigelow who has obviosly put a lot into the film and is a director to watch in the future.

EXELLENT-8 out of 10