thethundersd

25 May 2012

The lost meaning of Truth, Justice, and Peace

The hurt locker drag you deep in what a soldier can feel or became in adirty war, you can feel during the movie what the soldiers feel, youfeel that you are smothered by the scenes you've watched andexperienced, you feel inhuman by the pain you've bring and done, youfeel lost between your duty and your morals.In this kind of war we notice that almost all of the field soldiers arevery young, which is an intentional choice of the war's makers, becausethe young ones are mentally very vulnerable, so very handy, then it iseasy to switch the minds of the soldiers from the real world to a videogame world and make them do horrible things to themselves and to theothers.In the end, if you don't die in this real "video game", you will belongto two categories, those who get used to this game and can not quit it,and those who get abused by this game, in the end the both categorieswill be threw in the real world with a hidden or obvious mentaldisorder.To avoid a catastrophe, we need new leaders, leaders who can redefinethe true meaning of Truth, Justice, and Peace.--http://theearthdiary.blogspot.com/

kdnor2011

24 May 2012

Overrated

First I have to ask, Why? Why do we praise movies that are boring,confusing, and stupid? Why do we give them to the award for bestpicture? And why did the Hurt Locker get greenlit? I can't really sayit's the worst movie I've ever seen, technically it isn't as bad asAlone in the Dark, Meet the Spartans, or Final Destiantion 2, but itdefinitely is the most over rated. At the time I am writing this reviewThe Hurt Locker has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a 7.8 on IMDb, andhas won best picture against better movies like Avatar and District 9.I have nothing against Kathryn Bigalow, but since this is the onlymovie I've seen that she directed, I'm not on good terms with her.The basic plot of the film is a guy named James who has become"addicted" to the war in Iraq. The movie mostly involves a lot ofyelling, and swearing, that's all I can do to describe this movie.I have three main problems with this film. One, it's confusing, I haveno idea who most of the main characters are except for James andSunborn, I don't know what's happening with the plot, and they useterms that no one would understand unless they were in the military(even the title). Second, the main character is an asshole. He isn'tlikable at all, the whole time I was hoping for him to die. He breaksinto houses, smokes, leaves his family, and is just unlikable. I wantedto see a movie based on Sunborn, he's the only one smart enough to seethrough James. Third, this movie is BORING!!!! I have never been morebored while watching a movie. The action scenes are shot way too close,and shaky, I can't tell if it's supposed to be a documentary, ortraditional, and since I can't see anything, I got bored really fast.And it sure wasn't suspenseful, it can't be unless we like thecharacters.I am not a nit-picker, but everyone keeps going on about this movie asif it's perfect.

JuroClimax

21 May 2012

This is not a great movie. Its just OK.

I had seen this movie a few months before I found out it was amongstthe nominees for the Oscars. I thought to my self, hey, I saw thisthing, but I don't remember anything apart from what the leading actorlooks like! Then I thought, well... it is covering a very disturbingand sensitive area of today's political world so it should beacknowledged.After it won the Oscar for best picture of the year, I had to go see itagain and so I did! It didn't change my mind. This is not the bestpicture of the year, not by a long shot. I know the subject is verypopular, disturbing, important etc. but a political statement is notthe only thing we're looking for in the "best motion picture of 2009".What about the directing, acting, photography, music...? they are allaverage. Nothing special about this film. No goose bumps, no memorablescenes, just plain old indifference (quality wise).You should see it though, it's not like it is a bad movie or anything.You won't be wasting your time and money, you won't be disappointedthat much, but, you will wonder if this thing really deserves to be inthe list amongst the "great ones".

20 May 2012

Intense!

Without a doubt one of the best films of 2009. It's really a must see.

Harry T. Yung

18 May 2012

Perfect balance between art and entertainment makes worthy Oscar winner

Critics call this the best Iraq war movie to-date, for good reasons.Without grand rhetoric or overwrought war-horror, it is a realistic,close-up (in more ways than one) of the lives of three soldiers duringtheir last month of a duty rotation in Baghdad, in a succession ofmissions in the city and neighbouring deserts.Starting with a quote from New York Times former war correspondentChris Hedges: "War is a drug", the movie plunges into a nail-bitingsequence of a bomb defuse mission, through POV-inducing hand-heldcameras (which is used only one more time in the rest of the movie, avery wise decision), expert editing, deployment of close-up as well aslong shots, all backed with dumb roll, pulsating-heart music. Theremarking thing is that the audience does not feel for a moment thatthese scenes are manipulative or contriving because these are no cheaptricks to create unrealistic tension. Instead, they are taken rightinto midst of the endeavour of this three-man team, an endeavour thatended in tragedy, the death of their leader demolition expert, a cameorole taken up gracefully by Guy Pearce.Thus we plunge into the story when eccentric Staff Sergeant Will Jamesis brought in as a replacement. The next sequence right away highlightsthe interesting contrast of the three members. Sergeant JT Sanborn(Anthony Mackie) is anything but eccentric, something vital for hisrole in the team as the protector of the hero in the front linenegotiating the bomb. Staying back outside the dangerous "death zone",he monitors everything around the scene while James focuses on a mostintricate set of wires that becomes the thin line between life and ahideous death. Rookie Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty)completes this trio, and it soon becomes apparent that "specialist"spells glorified errand boy. Upon arriving at the first scene ofaction, and to Sanborn's annoyance, James loses no time indemonstrating that he is the sort of charismatic character that laughsin the face of death, literally. The mission is accomplished withconfident skill despite James' recklessness that verge on suicidal.Those are the initial broad brush portrays of these characters thatcontinue to be developed and enriched throughout the movie.The next mission, to disarm a load-full of explosives in the trunk of acar, takes James further along this persona, as he completely removedhis heavy protective gears during the job, quibbling casually, "If I amto die, I'd rather die when dressed comfortably" (something to thateffect). As expected, the conflict between James and Sanborn sharpenswhile Eldridge watches helplessly. But signs also gradually emerge thatthere is method in James' madness and control underneath hisrecklessness.The turning point is another mission, apparently quite easy, that takesthem into the nearby desert. An ambush by sharp-shooters turns out tobe just as lethal as a bomb to be defused. This is the longest sequencein the movie. The long drawn out endurance contest with the enemy,under scorching desert heat, brings out the best of the protagonists aswell as cement their comradeship (and friendship). Sanborn isreaffirmed as the solidly dependable professional, cautious,level-headed, if adhering rigidly to protocol. James' gentler sidesurfaces, as he handles Eldridge's awkward inexperience with patientmentorship. With lips cracking dry, he also offers the juice Eldridgepass him to Sanborn first before taking his own sips. Eldridge alsorises to the occasion, responding with steady maturity when given acrucial job to handle a sniper that has flanked to their back.As we understand more and more about our heroes, the movie becomes moreintriguing. More characters emerge such as a smart, enterprising(selling DVDs) native kid who James befriends, and an army doctor who,despite lack of real experience at the front line, is Eldridge'sadviser on emotional problems. The fiendish device of the human bomb isgiven some rather gruesome treatment. There are casualties, lethal andotherwise, as well as dramatic conflict and poignancy. All these areaccompanied by first-rate action, but in this piece of KathrynBigelow's masterful work, action is not mindless, but rather a coherentpart of an artistic cinematic achievement that fully deserves the sixOscars it win, including Bigelow's distinction as the first woman towin Best Director.At the end of the movie, after a few very brief scenes of domesticbliss with wife (or girlfriend, doesn't really matter) and baby insupermarket, kitchen and family room (in that order), James is back inIraq, starting all over again his 365-day duty rotation. War may not bedrug to every soldier (certainly not Sanborn). But to James, it's alltoo clear. But it's neither overzealous patriotism nor bloodthirstinessthat drives him. He is a born artist as well as top professional in hisfield, and as long as bombs are to be defused, his place is there. Tomost people (probably the majority) the search for a reason forexistence is hopelessly elusive. For fortunate James, that is never aproblem. No wonder he is sometimes flamboyant to the point ofrecklessness on the job.

jhajala

17 May 2012

hot garbage

I just rented this today....heard lots of good reviews beforehand.WOW!! What a pile of steaming poo this movie is!! Does anyone know theaddress of the director so I can get my five dollars back???? Finallysomeone bumped "Stop-loss" from the 'Worst Iraq War Movie Ever' numberone spot. To be fair, I don't think there are any good Iraq war moviesanyway, but this was REALLY bad. I won't get into any technical inaccuracies, there's a hundred reviewsfrom other GWOT vets that detail them all. If the director bothered toconsult even the lowliest E-nothing about technical accuracy howeverthey could've made the movie somewhat realistic....maybe. I guess thewriter should be given the "credit" for this waste of a film. He or sheobviously hatched the plot for this movie from some vivid imaginationnot afflicted with the restraints of reality. Does anybody but mewonder what the point of this movie was? Was there a message? Seriouslythough.....WTF????I'm pretty amazed at all the positive reviews really. This film is hardto watch as a vet because of all the glaring inaccuracies but even ifone could overlook that, the plot sucks, characters are shallow (to saythe least) and the acting is poor at best. It's ironic, I suppose, thatthis movie is supposed to be about Explosive Ordinance Disposal,because it's the biggest bomb I've seen this year.

Dogwhiz

14 May 2012

Strong contender for best movie of 2009

Quite easily the best movie of 2009 and the best war movie since BlackHawk Down and maybe even beyond that, The Hurt Locker does somethingthat few other war movies seem to be able to do. Rather than focusingon rapid-action combat scenes and the oh-so-emotional mental breakdownsthat all soldiers seem to dramatically endure in Hollywood (Platoon,much?), it emphasizes the relationships of soldiers and the intensityof everyday living in Iraq– intensity that doesn't diminish when theguns are holstered. And that's where you'll see the real difference.The film introduces a seemingly new and unique idea by following a U.S.Army Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team as they go around defusingpotential bombs all around town– a concept that allows the typicalfast-action war theme to take a backseat to the dramatic intensity ofthe three team members' escapades and arguments. It's all aboutsurvival and this time around, it's the calm, isolated atmosphere andthe feeling of never being truly safe that creates the ever-presentsuspense. The exceptional editing is partially to thank for suchconstant energy and pace. Quick transitions ensure that there is nevera dull moment and the audience is always thrust into the middle of theaction. Plus, director Kathryn Bigelow employed some amazingcinematography (thanks to Barry Ackroyd, United 93) and some of thebest shaky hand-held-cam and zoom work I've seen yet. It seems that,for some, this might be a turn-off, but personally, I believe those whocomplain about shaky cam need to take a closer look at its purpose andrealize that it's far more effective in establishing a documentary-likefeel for raw and engaging films such as this one.The interaction between the soldiers is a key point of the film and theentire project is clearly intended to be largely character-driven. Youwill more than likely find yourself sympathizing with all of the maincharacters at some point and several others along the way. More thanjust observing a character's breakdown at the scene of war such as infilms like Jarhead, The Hurt Locker immerses the viewer in the world ofthe characters themselves and practically forces you to care for them–and I mean that in the best way possible. And perhaps the difference isalso partially distinguished by the quality of acting. And if there'sanyone who deserves recognition for their acting, it's most certainlyJeremy Renner, who surprises with a top-notch performance as StaffSergeant William James. His performance will have you laughing at bitsof humor scattered throughout, gasping in disbelief at one point,shedding a sympathetic tear at another, and yelling at him inexasperation in yet another scene. The characters are nevertwo-dimensional and the film always manages to provide constantreminders that all of the soldiers are just normal people in warsituations, driving its purpose home even more effectively. AnthonyMackie and Brian Geraghty are impressive in their own roles and sharegreat chemistry both with each other and with Renner. The relationshipsbetween the three follow no stereotyped guidelines and theirinteractions are almost always unpredictable. Further down the billing,Guy Pearce and Ralph Fiennes also give solid performances worthmentioning.Overall, The Hurt Locker is a movie that keeps you on the edge of yourseat the whole way through and packs a visual and cinematographic punchwithout the over-the-top Hollywood action scenes and special effects.While the storyline may be inaccurate when it comes to certain littledetails (as many war vets have noted), it's a unique one and allows formuch more realistic and well-rounded characters. You'll walk away withyour heart still beating fast for a good while after the credits rolland it'll make you think for an even further extended period of time.Everything about its design and execution will stick with you.--The Motion Picture Underground

Glock22

14 May 2012

Poorly researched

The film might look like a masterpiece of realism to the average dumbviewer out there. But the fact of the matter remains that The HurtLocker is a cheap and poorly researched and made film. I don't want tomake this review a list of the goofs, so just a few examples: The Iraqiboy would not know what "soccer" is because in that part of the worldthey call it "football" as the Europeans do. Also "goalie" is used bythe Americans only. It's "goalkeeper" over there and the boy would nothave known what that is. That is of course if we ignore the fact thathe speaks English that only a native speaker would speak, and the fakeaccent does not cover that. And, an Iraqi woman would not wear headscarf in her own home. They just wear it out in the streets or if therewas a visitor at home.Even though it has many cliché moments and that conversation with hiskid at the end was quite embarrassing, the flick is not very horribleor anything.

12 May 2012

I cant believe I bought or watched this movie!

I can't believe I was stupid enough to buy or watch this movie. I kept thinking this movie is going to get better, but never did. Don't waste your time with this Hollywood version of the Iraq War.

12 May 2012

What is war?

I have picked this movie after learning about it during 2009 Oscar selection. I was happy for the first woman director, Kathryn Bigelow, who has received and Oscar for her film. In spite of the fact that there are no big name actors in this movie (except for one), it is the story of the film and the art of making it that sears into the nerve about the war, soldiering and brotherhood in combat.It has been a while since I have seen a good war film. And this one goes hand in hand with the best ones. It is insightful anf it attacks all aspects of what it means to be a professional soldier. Main character is complicated - if not reckless, then he is totally oblivious about the effect he has on people working with him. Is it the need for rush that keep him going or is it something else? I will let you watch the movie in order to be a judge of that.The absolute credit goes to director Bigelow and the screenwriter of the film. This is a smart film that will not take sides, judge people and their actions - it acts as observe of the reality taht at times seems mesmerizing and tantalizing at the same time. I highly recommend this film.

milo-50

10 May 2012

If you get this far down the reviews....

There is not much more to be said here than in the other reviews. Iwatched this film after reading several of the reviews posted here. Ihave to say that I thought it was a marvellous depiction of tension anda study of compulsive/obsessive disorder. I'm glad I took the time towatch it.But I have to say that the Iraqi & Afghan veterans who have (near toevery man) damned the film, very nearly made me not watch this film atall. But then I thought, well, I program computers for a living. How doI feel about the way IT is depicted in film? I can't name a film thatdepicts my job accurately. But I just live with that - it does not stopthem being good entertainment. So I watched it. Result! Us civilianscannot know what it's like to serve in the Middle East. Apparently thisfilm does not bring us any closer to the actual experience. But it'sstill a good movie! If not an accurate documentary!

10 May 2012

The Movie is Virulently Anti-Military

This review is from: The Hurt Locker (Amazon Instant Video) The Hurt Locker is a movie which is Virulently Anti-Military! I should of known that Hollywood could almost never make a War film that shows the courage and honor of our volenteer men and women in arms. If you despise those who die and bleed for our freedom then you will certainly like this film.

el_monty_BCN

10 May 2012

Didnt really work for me, I got a bad vibe from the political undertones

Given the critics' enthusiasm, I went to see it with high expectations,and I came out frankly disappointed. The atmosphere felt realistic andsome scenes (the sniper duel, the man with the explosive vest) madequite an impact; but I really had a problem with the central character,William James. I may be overpoliticized, but I just couldn't helpperceiving him as a perfect embodiment of George W. Bush's America:Gung-ho, arrogant, reckless, impulsive, willing to put the lives of hiscomrades at risk and to abandon a loving family at home in order topursue personal vendettas and get his adrenalin rushes... and, as I dowith Bush, I despised him; I was almost rooting for him to get blownup, to be honest, because I thought he was a complete idiot who didalmost everything wrong, and that he had no place in any seriousprofessional army (something confirmed by opinions from war veterans Ihave read later). And yet Bigelow seems intent on portraying him assomething of a "misguided hero", the classic rogue who doesn't go bythe book but whose heart is in the right place. Therefore, it felt tome as if the movie, by condoning this man's reckless attitude, wassomewhat also condoning the U.S. military campaign as something maybeequally misguided but nevertheless brave and noble. I have no ideawhere Bigelow stands politically, and I realize this might not be themessage she wanted to convey at all; but it's the one I perceived, andit left me quite uncomfortable.

Willie-12

10 May 2012

Felt Almost Like A Documentary

One word sums up this film: Real. This is, by far, one of the mostrealistic movies I've ever seen, and in that sense, it felt almost likea documentary. And that's a good thing. I've seen war movies before.Some good and some bad. I've seen war movies that have effectivelytried to convey the way things really are, and have been successful indoing so. But this is the first time I've seen one that actually mademe feel like I was there. From the very intense opening, KathrynBigelow grabs the audience and does not let them go. She beautifullyand meticulously examines the complex realities of war, and she does itin two main ways. First, she does it by providing viewers with an upclose and personal experience with combat. Second, and on a deeperlevel, she examines the effects that war can have on the psyche of asoldier. It's the latter that is the most heartbreaking. When JeremyRenner's William James gets to go home for a period of time, we can seethat he is not ready to be integrated back into society. The cerealisle scene in the super market is especially effective. For him, warhas become, as the quote says, a drug. And he's not ready to come downfrom that high. This is a powerful motion picture, and one that willstay with me for some time to come.

boysailor

08 May 2012

2008 Movie That Made It In The 2009 Oscars?

I love watching movies and I know when a movie sucks or not. The camerawork in this movie seems amateurish, it's wobbly most of the time. Thedialog delivery it seems is being read directly from the script. Ithought this is a war movie, but not really. While watching it on thefirst five minutes of the movie, I could swear this was meant as a TVmovie. For a movie fanatic like me, I never made it past the firstthirty minutes of this movie, it's that boring. The only big deal I cansee on this movie is, the director is James Cameron's Ex. Seeing thismovie winning a lot of categories proves that, Politics also lurks inthe Oscars. Let's get an honest opinion, did you guys really liked thismovie?

Ray Chien

08 May 2012

Sure its not realistic...

Well, I got nothing to lose if nobody agrees with me on this 'board',since I already know they won't! The Hurt Locker is not realistic. Ihave no military background but even I noticed that there's a lack ofcommand and discipline straight from the get-go. I never really figuredout who's higher ranked, James or Sanborn, until probably when I readIMDb.Now that the general society is aplenty with war movies that arerealistic, watching The Hurt Locker is kind of surreal. It's like backin the 80s. Or 90s, if you count Broken Arrow. Now that was a greatflick wasn't it? You may get off my review anytime now.But really if 'realistic' makes a great movie, then they aren't doingsuch a great job are they. Heck, how realistic are other great warmovies on frontlines these days, Avatar? Inglourious Basterds?? Mindyou, I love realistic films and I have bought my Band of Brothersboxset and watched it over and over. But we humans must learn to beflexible. Not rigid.Lots of great movies can be made about the angst of real life soldiersconfronted with hierarchy, politics, and command chains. This is notthat movie. This is the movie where the characters are free to do whatthey want, and their emotions and experiences are thus amplified muchmore greatly because they do what they always wanted to. (Killin'Nazis! wrong movie.) When realism is gone, war becomes an instrumentfor the soul, which is the highlight of this film. It's not aboutconquering which Iraqi town, or disarming what highly complicated bombsto advance to what checkpoint, to be performed in duly realistic mannerto great dramatic display. It's about how the individuals survive thisexperience and what do they get out of it? The emotional landscape of asoldier can't get any simpler and harsher. The war may be complicated,but fear, fatigue, these are simple, brutal feelings that peel away themind of a soldier. You don't need some sensitive, deeply developedcharacters with a ton of (realistic) backstory to back him up to saythat war hurts. It hurts no matter what kind of joe you are from whatbackground. Your life does not matter when it's your helmet, camouflageand guns and sands that you have with you. And people deal with it indrastic different fashions. Some, simply don't. We aren't here toanalyze, we are here to observe and feel. Pick a character, and feelfor him.James is a fiction, you should all know that. He wears different hatsin this movie, one of the hats is to be the protagonist and someonethat you can see the experience through with.How does it feel to be a guy that got deployed out into war, with anumber "365 days left" on the back of his mind? I can never say I know,but through this movie, I almost felt I did.I thought I loved Avatar, but this is closer to heart.

jonathan-577

04 May 2012

trying to not stay human

To Siue's protest that the world already has too many war films thatfocus on the American GI's point of view, I replied that this filmtakes that warhorse places that I've never seen it go before. Withoutthat defining perspective, how else could Bigelow portray thepsychology of war in which everyone, and everything, becomes an enemy -not just the curious and unknowable locals, but a cell phone, anillegally parked car, a herd of sheep, a pile of garbage, even theirarmy's own sh*tty equipment? When Jeremy Renner drops the tear gas onhis first assignment, it looks like he's committing suicide, but hereagain we have a window on an essential theme - the tension between theneed for fellow soldiers to act in a predictable and regimented way,and the need to retain your status as an individual. At first Renner isas remote as the locals, but there's a slow reversal - starting with anadmiring, smirking colonel miles crazier than he is, continuing as theseemingly rock-steady Anthony Mackie reveals the cracks in his ownstability, and culminating in the Aguirre-like desert siege whereRenner holds everything together and becomes the central character onceand for all. Having taken center stage, the movie becomes his personalpsychodrama as he seeks the killers of a kid he thinks he knows - it'swhen he tries to be a hero that we can see the hopelessness of thesituation. The only way to survive is to keep your humanity in check,and it's damn hard, because these characters are nothing if not human.The chaos and despair are so powerful and so felt that the final scenesfeel a little too pat, too obvious in their meaning; but even there wehave an unforgettably displaced supermarket-as-nightmare sequence, andanyway the message is urgent enough to merit a double underline.

04 May 2012

Entertaining but average

This review is from: The Hurt Locker (DVD) An entertaining two hours, but very unrealistic because of the risks taken by the ORD soldiers. Also, when one of the characters returned home, he longed to go back - in reality when you return home even the supermarket is a fun and fascinating place. Being deployed overseas is overrated (which all soldiers know), and so is this movie.

tedster_98

04 May 2012

good cinema, grossly inaccurate.

I am a two-time Iraq veteran. While the scenery and photography of thefilm were wonderful, the inaccuracies of Army life were just too muchto ignore. Alcohol on the FOB (Forward Operating Base), running outsidethe wire (perimeter) at night then checking back into a checkpoint withno repercussions (either on or off the FOB)..... Taking off the bombsuit during an operation, EOD guys knowing sniper and infantry tactics,running around doing infantry tactics without commo gear, the showerswere too nice on the FOBs, flying in choppers without battle gear on,an Army shrink going off the FOB (be for real!)....the inaccuracieswith explosives etc etc etc.... the list goes on ad naseum.....I liked the film in the beginning, but it kept getting slower andslower and slower. Then the errors of the film regarding Army life weretoo gross and if the script writers did a little bit of homework, theycould have made this film really good.... as it stands, it is mediocre.This movie had so much potential, but it was a real let-down.

bauer32301

04 May 2012

Snoozers

After reading all the critics going absolutely gaga for this movie Iwas excited when it finally came to my town. I'm here to tell you,don't believe all the hype this movie is receiving. This movie is aplot less, pointless, extremely boring movie. The entire movie isnothing but a string of unconnected vignettes. Some more interestingthan others, but ultimately none of them advance the story, or lackthereof. There is absolutely no character arc, no plot, no nothing.There's nothing to make me care for the characters or understand theirmotivations. And you'd think a movie about bomb defusing would beexciting and tense, well with this one, you'd be wrong. Snoozers.