The Hurt Locker, a review by Camilo Arenivar

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I popped this one in the DVD player. Immediately, I was enthralled. The movie takes us on a tour to Iraq, and follows a United States Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team during the Iraq War. The movie follows the team as they go around defusing bombs. It’s as tension filled as it sounds. There is also great insight to the emotional impact all of this has on the men and the different ways they deal with it.

Outstanding in this film is Jeremy Renner as Sgt. JT Sanborn, the almost crazy lead bomb defuser who consistently throws caution to the wind and seems to have no worries. The movie shows us all sides of him, and in this, we come to see the human element of the Iraq war not as easily seen on the news. Back when it was on the news.

Kathryn Bigelow surpasses the other nominees for Best Picture of 2009 with her thoughtful and realistic direction of a thriller that touches you in a way no other recent war movie has.

Rating: 91.5