The Hurt Locker

Yeah I saw a good few months ago, didn't know anything about it. Really good movie.
 
I agree, it's a fantastic movie. Some great lines as well
English Bloke: We have spare tyres, but we used up our wrench
James: How do you you use up a Wrench?
English Bloke: Well, you see that guy over there with the red thing on his head? He threw it at someone...

English Bloke: This is Chris...and this is the wrench man
James: Hello wrench man
Sanborn: You know we can shoot people here? You don't have to throw a wrench
Wrench man: feck off.

And when James is trying to get back into the camp after sneaking out and the guards push him to the floor with a gun to his head
Guard: What the the hell were you doing out there?
James: Visiting a whorehouse
Guard (leans in close to whisper): If I let you back in will you tell me where it is exactly?

Brilliant film. Beautifully shot and just incredibly well directed. Agree about the stop breathing remark, it was incredibly tense at times. Really nailed home just what kind of situation out troops are in out there. It's not just a film to them, they must deal with situations like that every single day. Not sure I could deal with that to be honest, at least not trying to disarm roadside bombs after watching colleagues get blown up. You were just waiting for one of them to get killed, and they're only actors not real soldiers.
 
Oooh nice recommendation thanks. I'm gonna have to 'track' this 'down' ;)

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow of Point Break fame. Decent looking cast too
 
Enjoyed the movie. Very tense.

That said I did have a problem with where it was trying to place itself. On the one hand it was shot in a gritty handheld feel that gave it an almost documentary realism but it had a fair few action movie cliches that conflicted with the visuals. The sniper scene in particular was a bit wtf?!?

I mean, I'm no war vet but surely it can't be a good idea to take up a sniping position in the exact same place that somebody just got shot. And wtf was with all the British mercenaries getting killed like pussies??
 
Just seen this, absolutely brilliant movie. Incredibly tense right from the off. Would highly recommend you see it.






I agree with Cassius' spoiler remarks though.
 
Just seen this film, all I can say is Wow.

It was definately one of the best films I've ever seen
 
It is a brilliantly made film. Loved the sniper scene.
 
Yeh great film.

That sniper scene was pulled apart by people in the military for its lack of realism. I though it was a good scene in terms of the tension but I can see the point those in the know were making.

I mean the way the bomb disposal guy suddenly took charge of the sniper rifle and managed to take out the enemy snipers was a bit OTT. Also the way the SAS (special forces) were just cut down like that was a bit silly.
 
vuc said:
Yeh great film.

That sniper scene was pulled apart by people in the military for its lack of realism. I though it was a good scene in terms of the tension but I can see the point those in the know were making.

I mean the way the bomb disposal guy suddenly took charge of the sniper rifle and managed to take out the enemy snipers was a bit OTT. Also the way the SAS (special forces) were just cut down like that was a bit silly.
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I am pretty sure they were not SAS, mercenaries I think. But I do agree with you on the sniper bit, and why they would not switch positions after seeing the guy get shot was also stupid.
 
vuc said:
Yeh great film.

That sniper scene was pulled apart by people in the military for its lack of realism. I though it was a good scene in terms of the tension but I can see the point those in the know were making.

I mean the way the bomb disposal guy suddenly took charge of the sniper rifle and managed to take out the enemy snipers was a bit OTT. Also the way the SAS (special forces) were just cut down like that was a bit silly.
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This.

I remember reading user reviews on Yahoo Movies and you could easily see a clear pattern in the way the movie was rated. Anyone who mentioned that they had experienced the war firsthand gave scores significantly lower than everyone else, who almost unanimously gave top scores.

Definitely a very tense film but what you said is pretty much why Iraq War veterans hold this movie in much lower esteem than people who haven't "been there".
 
best film of last year. an absolute cracking movie. and that scene with the guy with explosives strapped to him. wow
 
I literally just saw this, so it's odd to find it bumped onto the front page just before me!

I really enjoyed it, though not as much as some of you seem to have done. It was exceptionally tense in places and I loved the way some of it was shot.

But it did piss me off when:

The Brits all got cut down in seconds and then the tough crack American bomb disposal unit got the snipers with some ridiculously ace shots of their own. Why wasn't the American guy immediately shot when taking up position, especially since it was the exact same position Ralph Fiennes had just been in? It just summed up American war movies when all the Brits are pussies and get killed in seconds whilst the Americans win the war.

Also, the bit where the Colonel got blown up after telling those people with the donkeys and cart to move on. How much more obvious and cliched do you want to get? It felt hard to empathise with the shock and surprise the characters felt at the sudden explosion when it was blatantly obviously going to happen.

The cinematography was great, though, absolutely superb, and the action was largely brilliant. I think my favourite shot in the whole film:

Is when the guy is back home and just standing in front of that wall of cereal. Drives home the contrast of their lives, and how he just didn't fit into normal living anymore.

A solid 7/10 for me. Probably my fourth favourite 2009 film, after Avatar, District 9 and Moon (yeh, I'm a sci-fi nerd).
 
Some of you are hard to please.

A film is a narrative about the main characters so you might expect that some of them will make it to the end and some of the peripheral characters (no matter their nationality) will not. And I don't see you complaining that the American bomb expert died at the beginning.

The bit with the Captain getting blown up may have been something that you could anticipate in that this was the purpose of the scene. The tension you felt was that which an experienced soldier (who's viewpoint we had taken by this point) would feel watching the almost inevitable unfold. The Captain was too nice/inexperienced to think that these nice people could want to blow him up.

It is hard to compare such diverse films and while I enjoyed them all I think that the Hurt Locker was far better than all of them. District 9 and Avatar were great fun (the later especially) but still expensive popcorn flicks and Moon was a decent low budget homage to 70's Sci-Fi but a little underwhelming in the end.

IMO of course.
 
I think it's overrated. Well made, but I actually thought it was quite tedious in places, which is impressive for a film about defusing bombs.

Also, there's a fine line between being a film about macho American bullshit, and just being another macho American bullshit film. With the exception of the boy, and the suicide bomber at the end, the Iraqis were just cannon fodder as usual. And the whole film looked too sparse, as if they didn't have enough extras.
 
Plechazunga said:
I think it's overrated. Well made, but I actually thought it was quite tedious in places, which is impressive for a film about defusing bombs.

Also, there's a fine line between being a film about macho American bullshit, and just being another macho American bullshit film. With the exception of the boy, and the suicide bomber at the end, the Iraqis were just cannon fodder as usual. And the whole film looked too sparse, as if they didn't have enough extras.
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I definitely got the same feeling as well.

Even some of the combat scenes felt a little sparse as far as live bodies were concerned. I'm not a war expert by any means, and I understand that it's a team of three guys, but it seemed like the guys were left stranded out there without much support at all. I find it hard to believe that on these missions there isn't more tactical support. I know they're diffusing bombs so they shouldn't have too many people too close, but it's probably a bit more than three guys on their own with maybe one support team.

This entire film was designed for tension tension tension (and contrasting it with how calm normal life is at the end). Any deviations from reality were made to make the film more tense.
 
Plechazunga said:
I think it's overrated. Well made, but I actually thought it was quite tedious in places, which is impressive for a film about defusing bombs.

Also, there's a fine line between being a film about macho American bullshit, and just being another macho American bullshit film. With the exception of the boy, and the suicide bomber at the end, the Iraqis were just cannon fodder as usual. And the whole film looked too sparse, as if they didn't have enough extras.
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It was from the perspective of a soldier in Iraq for sure. Surely that was it's intent?
 
So, basically it's a very realistic take on the life of a soldier in a war zone. Except people who have been soldiers in war zones disagree.
 
Do you expect every soldier's real life experiences in Vietnam to be an exact mirror of Apocalypse Now?
 
I have to agree with Plech, good film but I generally feel it is overrated. There are some great scenes, including the previously mentioned sniper scene and then the would-be suicide bomber.

A few people seem to rate it highly, almost as a way of slating Avatar, given the two will be fighting it out at the Oscars.

Personally, I think Inglourious Basterds was the superior film of the three.
 
Can't really compare Inglorious Basterds and Hurt Locker - Different films. Though Hurt Locker is actually a very good film, nto much wrong with it at all and it gives you a tension throughout the whole film. Well shot, well directed and good cinematography as previously mentioned. Top film.
 
vuc said:
Can't really compare Inglorious Basterds and Hurt Locker - Different films. Though Hurt Locker is actually a very good film, nto much wrong with it at all and it gives you a tension throughout the whole film. Well shot, well directed and good cinematography as previously mentioned. Top film.
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Whilst I understand what you mean, when it comes to the Oscars etc, of course they are to be compared. Ultimately one will be considered the better film.
 
Decent movie, liked it personally but Battle for Haditha is twice the movie. Cracking war movie without the usual agendas behind it, unusual these days. Based on a true story, harrowing at times. A must see imo.
 
Decotron said:
Decent movie, liked it personally but Battle for Haditha is twice the movie. Cracking war movie without the usual agendas behind it, unusual these days. Based on a true story, harrowing at times. A must see imo.
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Haven't seen it but I will check it out.

Speaking of War Films, has anyone seen '9th Company'? Its about a small group of Russian soldiers who fight in Afghanistan. Very good IMO.
 
I don't care if she's nearly 60, I'd still shag the arse off Katherine Bigelow.

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And yes, I can't wait to see this film.
 
I found it very enjoyable, the only bit that annoyed me was
The usual incompetent Brits need the Americans to save the day bit in the sniper scene.

Other than that it was a one of the best films I saw last year.
 
I shall watch this very soon, at the cinema
 
This movie is only out in certain cinemas in Australia, and it's shitting me. Might have to pay a trip to the Entertainment Quarter.
 
Saw it last night and thought it was good but not great. Reminded me to watch Generation Kill (tv series) again, far better then this movie.
 
just saw it and thought iw was great...

took me ages to place that guy from the oc though... surprisingly good performance from him
 
EZee said:
just saw it and thought iw was great...

took me ages to place that guy from the oc though... surprisingly good performance from him
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Which guy from the OC?

Also, I expect this to win both the Best Picture and Best Director award tonight, showing up the Oscars for the love-in farce that they are.
 
Count Duckula said:
Which guy from the OC?

Also, I expect this to win both the Best Picture and Best Director award tonight, showing up the Oscars for the love-in farce that they are.
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my mistake...

i hope it does win cos dances with smurfs aint all that...

though in truth i think district 9 is the best film ice seen this year
 
I liked it.

Also thought the sniper scene was a bit shit though.

1. Why did the Iraqis suddenly stop shooting when they had two perfect shots to start with. 2. What weapon were the Iraqis using? The Americans were using a 50 cal. I think, which only some times hit target. Where the Iraqis using a AK? 3. Sanborn shot an Iraqi while he was running, but failed to hit stillstanding targets. 4.Why didn't the Iraqi lying on the railroad shoot. He just lay there and let himself get shot.

Also, something I did not understand and would like an explanation about:

There was obviously some bad guy watching the bombs and who was able to set them off if he wanted to. Why didn't he then? Why did he wait til the bomb was defused? Was he hoping to get more soldiers near the bomb? Cause that was never going to happen.
 
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