Film Review : The Hurt Locker

In a world where films are accompanied by loads of publicity from getting the greenlight all the way through to its' initial showing, the first I had heard of this particular was when I saw the exemplary review in Empire magazine. Of course, this meant that I turned up at the cinema this morning with a sense of expectation that I might not otherwise have had.

It would be fair to say that the expectation was well and truly met. This is an excellent movie that works just as much on the basis of what it's not, as much as for what it is.

Focusing on an elite Army Bomb squad in Iraq the film focuses on the job that they have to do, the risks that they face each day out on the streets and, ultimately, the effect this has on the soldiers themselves.

It would be wrong to reveal too much of what happens - in some ways, the story is no more and no less than the team getting through about a month of the war in Iraq when that will mean the end of their post.

It's a powerful drama that has you overcome with tension as you get a real sense of the danger that exists in every street, and where lives are at risk all the way. Don't be fooled by the star names appearing in the film - this story isn't about them and they make brief appearances. The focus is very much on the Bomb Techs and the absence of any obvious "star" means that you have no sense of who may or may not get through the month.

The film's effectiveness is magnified because it focuses exclusively on the team, and makes no attempt to questions the rights and wrong of the war that they find themselves a part of. Although set within a current conflagration, the circumstances that the team find themselves in and their varied reactions to it would apply equally in any modern war.

If you're looking for a night's light entertainment then this movie isn't for you. However, if you prefer a meaty drama which tells you something uncomfortable of the world we live in then this film could be for you. I'd certainly recommend it highly.