The Cinephile’s Journey: The Hurt Locker

Recommendation: 4/5 Stars

The Cinephile’s Journey is an attempt to watch and review every film that has won The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Oscar for Best Picture.

Plot: “During the Iraq War, a Sergeant recently assigned to an army bomb squad is put at odds with his squad mates due to his maverick way of handling his work.” -IMDB

Review: I am a big fan of American singer/songwriter David Ramirez. In his song, Stone Age, he sings the following lyrics, “Our fathers were drinkers, ’cause we shifted them off to war. And I’m drunk on a Tuesday, ’cause I’m just so fucking bored.”

For many in my generation, I assume this sentiment rings true. Occasionally, it rings true for me. Then I watch a movie like The Hurt Locker and realize there are members of my generation who have a drastically different story to tell.

The Hurt Locker rings with an authenticity that is deliberate. Over the top war movies have their time and place, but doing so here would not be true to what made the Iraq War unique. Instead, director Kathryn Bigelow uses natural light, long pauses, and quiet tension to deliver us to the frontline. The choice brings war home and matches the stories told by those who have served.