Politics get in the way when movies about war reflect those that are real – and unpopular. In the World War II days, and even during the Cold War, enemies were enemies and movie fans bought tickets to see them vanquished. But in Vietnam, and in the Middle East, where the wars are not very popular, there have been few financial successes.
And most of the movies have been of a documentary style, and documentaries just are not boffo at the box office.
"The Hurt Locker" may be different. Kathryn Bigelow’s beautifully directed tale of an Army squad whose task is to defuse improvised roadside bombs in Iraq is a powerful film, with fine writing by Mark Boal and some superior acting, especially by Jeremy Renner as William James, whose approach to neutralizing bombs is as casual and flamboyant as a young John Wayne facing a hanging posse.
More important, the movie is non-political.
James comes into the action as a replacement for a veteran leader who literally went to pieces after his touch betrayed him. He joins a seasoned, by-the-book, long-time non-com, J. T. Sanborn, played strongly by Anthony Mackie, and a sensitive, superb Brian Geraghty as Owen, a young enlistee who is scared to death but determined to carry on. There also is excellent work by Guy Pearce and Ralph Fiennes, among others, in small but vital roles.
James has his own approach to neutralizing ordnance; he understands the risks and the methods of successfully defusing something that can blow him to smithereens, but he does not play the Army by the book. Renner’s portrayal is awe-inspiring as a man who needs the danger and the thrill as an addict needs his white powder and who apparently cannot live in an orderly, civilian-run society. This is shown to perfection in a handful of scenes when he goes back to Kansas on leave.
Bigelow knows how to create tension, and stories of defusing bombs are easy to turn in that direction. When awards are handed out next year, look for Kathryn Bigelow and Jeremy Renner on the red carpet.
At Plaza Frontenac
-Joe