The Hurt Locker

Directed by: Katheryn Bigelow

Featuring: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, and Brian Geraghty, with cameos from Guy Pierce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, and Evangeline Lilly.

Films can open doors to new worlds, perspectives, and understandings, can expand our minds and force us to think critically about our world. But films are also entertainment. As such, a film about war has to do something really special for it to be justified, because war is not, and should not be, entertainment.

There is no doubt, in watching The Hurt Locker, that Katheryn Bigelow is a talented director. The movement of the camera, the pacing and visuals of the film are all exceptional. However, this was the wrong way to direct this movie. Bigelow focuses on all the wrong things in this film. She slows down shots of explosions so that we see every particle of dust rise from the ground, but what we should be seeing is the faces of the people affected.

The biggest issue with The Hurt Locker is that we are introduced to characters, not people. Look at our three protagonists: We have the straight-talking African American with a witty sense of humor, The Innocent, and The Maverick. Well acted, for the most part, but still all too familiar. If you really pause to study them, you will see that we are not watching real people, but characters, written for a Hollywood movie. In the end, what really separates this film from one like Top Gun? What I want to see from a film about war is real people and real life. Something to make us think critically about what is going on rather than sit back with our popcorn to happily soak up the romantic images of war that Hollywood is feeding us. The fact that Bigelow cast major stars in minor roles, like cameos from David Morse and Evangeline Lily illustrates the studio-nature of this film. Whenever a major actor is cast in a minor role it's hard not to assume that the filmmaker is cutting corners, casting an actor whose previous persona can carry the role, rather than developing characters with true depth and realism. It takes great confidence in your script and story to cast unknowns, and sadly this film lacks that confidence and realism.

The war in Iraq is a complicated and tragic event. Americans are clearly struggling to process it and so I am continuously disappointed when the story tellers among us, who have this powerful opportunity to provide clarity and perspective on this time in history, settle instead for making blockbusters. That Bigelow ends the film with rock music is the final tell tale that this film does not take itself or its subject matter seriously. The rock music blares as the main character marches back onto the front lines, as though we are watching a sports game. I have no experience myself with going to war, but I am sure that this is not what it is like over there. This film asks the audience to play along with these romantic, emotion-tugging images when it should be asking us to think critically about a sad and heavy issue. I cannot condone Hollywood war movies, and no matter how much people claim that this is a 'low budget' film, there's no mistaking the Hollywood mark on it.