Thought-provoking Film

The 2010 Oscar-winning Best Film, The Hurt Locker, is a fictional story that follows the journey of three soldiers in the United States Army Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team responsible for disarming improvised explosive devices (IED) during a 39-day period during the Iraq war. This character-based story about a series of events was inspired by real life experiences that the Oscar-winning writer, Mark Boal, had while spending time with a US bomb squad as a free-lance journalist in 2004 in Iraq.

The three main roles, each of a different nature, were well-portrayed by Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, and Brian Geraghty. Renner plays the role of Sergaent First Class William James, who is a risk-taker and gets adrenaline rush through combat. Mackie plays the role of Sergaent JT Sanborn, who likes to follow rules and is not much of a risk-taker. Geraghty plays the role of Specialist Owen Eldridge, who is scared to die during his missions.



Boal's well-written screenplay makes you realize how soldiers especially those in the EOD units risk their lives every day and for them each day is a near-death experience, which some survive and others do not. The cinematography and the special effects of this documentary-style movie were amazing. Oscar-winning Best Director, Kathryn Bigelow, no doubt made a very thought provoking film, which makes the audience experience what US soldiers had to go through during the Iraq war. It really surprised me that this film was directed by a female because there are hardly any women in it and this is more of a guy movie because it is about the military and the Iraq war. I think that just shows the genius of Bigelow and proves that she truly deserved to be the first female to win an Oscar for Best Director.

Even if you don't usually enjoy films of such serious nature, I recommend that you watch this one.