Review: The Hurt Locker

Sergeant Will James: A compelling character?  Maybe to some.  The Hurt Locker won best picture at this year's Academy Awards.  Was it truly the best?  I enjoyed it although it seemed long and drawn out.  I feel it lacked character development and a satisfying plot.

Times they are-a-changin' in the film industry.  With the perpetuation of reality television shows and the mindless throng who watch them, it is inevitable that the theme would seep into bona fide cinema.  This film was a fictitious reality show.  What is truly sad is that we are now buying tickets to movies which ape the lowest form of entertainment.  I have been an outspoken critic of reality shows so when I see a film that creates its own reality and portrays it in a linear non climactic way, I feel a little cheated.

"...when I see a film that creates its own reality and portrays it in a linear non climactic way, I feel a little cheated."

The movie was good in many of the areas it won Oscars.  Where I feel it did not earn the award was in best picture.  I got into acting because I believe in the power of the story.  In every good story there is a build up to a crescendo - an emotional peak.  The best films change the viewer's emotional
state.  This film hinged its dramatic impact upon shock and awe explosions and the utter barbaric nature of the war in Iraq.  As I said, there was little character development and the story lacked impact on a plot vs. emotional impact level.  When our hero returns to the sand we are given the fact that he is a man obsessed with the danger of his work.  Why wasn't this characteristic given more front and center stage throughout? 

As far as military statements go, there was a complete lack of military bearing in all of the principle characters.  What was up with the loony Major played by David Morse?  Guy Pearce had a gritty cameo at the beginning of the film.  If the movie makes a statement, it is this: Our troops are wasting their time and our money trying to stay one step behind the crafty bomb toting insurgents.  The grocery store scene meant to point out the largess and waste of Americans and what we take for granted.  I am about sick of being hit over the head about that one!

"The best films change the viewer's emotional state."

The acting was superb.  The cinematography was excellent.  The time spent on keeping the artsy shots yet not pandering to the uniqueness of the shot was well done.  I have to say that both Avatar and Star Trek were better movies than this one. 

It seems that the academy has to satisfy its artsy special interest/sociopolitical appetite.  This film is the third "best picture" that has left me scratching my head.  The first is American Beauty.  Kevin Spacey is a favorite of mine but the whole midlife crisis, misunderstood teen, all conservatives have a deep seated homosexual side dogma wears thin.  The second was Broke Back Mountain.  This film makes me want to laugh.  I have no issue with homosexuals, gays or even sexual promiscuity but the cowboys taking a roll in the tent and getting together for an anal anniversary party is a little too billboard for man on man love.  Interesting film? Yes.  Best picture?  Far from it.  It seems that a film has to go out of its way to be "edgy" to get notice from the Academy.  Edgy is an effective tool but too much emphasis on it is comparable to too much Thousand Island dressing on a salad.

"I really thought Sgt James was going to go on a personal crusade against the evil bomber monkeys"

The Hurt Locker is better than the other two but I crave plot and storyline.  The day to day life of the EOD guy is suspenseful but really goes nowhere as the main focus.  I really thought Sgt James was going to go on a personal crusade against the evil bomber monkeys but that endeavor sputtered pointlessly through the movie. 

I enjoyed the film even though the ending was uneventful and lacked dramatic pay off.  Still it is not the best movie of 2009.