The Hurt Locker

Whew.

I feel like sobbing, cheering, maybe throwing up a little.  Mostly I feel like talking about this movie for a few hours.

This film did a fantastic job of making me feel like I was there.  My heart is hurting for those lost in war.  The concussive force of these explosions was excellently translated using stunning slow motion shots, very intentional camera angles, and supurb special effects.  Spanning about 40 days of this particular squad’s deployment, we get a peek into several very different situations this group of men must face.  The suffocating unpredictability of the urban enviroment brings out anxiety, anger, terror and paranoia in these very realistic characters.  We see the constant threat of attack during each disarming mission wear on them, especially as they near the end of their deployment.  Each of the actors filled their roles with a subtle intensity that at times made me forget I was watching a movie at all.  I enjoyed the brief cameos by Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, Evangeline Lilly, and Christian Camargo.

While very tough to watch, this is definitely one of my favorites of the year.  If you’re at all interested in seeing this, unsure about seeing this, or have seen it, please talk to me!  I’d happily share my thoughts. 

In closing, I am profoundly grateful for everyone who has served or is serving in our military.