The Hurt Locker (movie)

[hellblazer]

It's political? Have you seen it? If anything, it's the only movie based on the recent wars that leaves politics completely out of it. So you say that she is a "typical Hollywood monkey" eh? A person who "danced just like they wanted her to?" Who is they? Who made her dance? How and why? What about the movie was so political and manipulative? I really look forward to you trying to explain that. Please cite specific scenes and/or interview of the cast and crew. Not some article about butt hurt soldiers who can't comprehend what the movie was really about.

If you were satisfied with the depiction of the warrior mentality/culture, that's up to you. I thought most of the depictions of U.S. soldiers were unrealistic, like most Hollywood movies about the military. If they're not coldblooded killers intent on committing atrocities(Avatar), they're insane adrenaline junkies simply out for kicks. Where's the simple, patriotic, honest soldier who just wants to defend his country? I didn't see a whole lot of that.

I will say that compared to other recent Hollywood drivel, it's a good movie. And it is very pleasing aesthetically. But cmon, man. There was a reason the military felt she misled them, there was a reason they cut off ties with her. There wasn't a disclaimer for the millions who watched it that said "Caution, this is fiction". Maybe I'm splitting hairs. Maybe at this point it's the best that'll ever come out of there. Maybe I should actually be appreciative. But I can't. You see it differently. Great, that's why we live in America.

 

[JarredLv]

If you were satisfied with the depiction of the warrior mentality/culture, that's up to you. Where's the simple, patriotic, honest soldier who just wants to defend his country? I didn't see a whole lot of that.

Well, there are Jeremy Renner's two costars, who both had about as much screen time as him. And they played the part of the by the book, better safe than sorry soldier quite well in my opinion. The Yin to his Yang. They were the balance. They depicted the everysoldier. Sgt. James was the oddball. He was not portrayed or delivered to be a representation of all soldiers. He was the odd man out. There was no depiction of warrior mentality. There was a depiction of a fictional person who is addicted to the rush and thrill that comes with war.

And since the last war fought that was truly in defense of this nation was the Revolutionary War, I wouldn't hold your breath for a movie with that kind of plot (Edit - The Patriot does come to mind).

I will say that compared to other recent Hollywood drivel, it's a good movie. And it is very pleasing aesthetically. But cmon, man. There was a reason the military felt she misled them, there was a reason they cut off ties with her. .

I've been searching for a bit and can't find anything that shows the Military once supporting and helping her, then feeling misled and subsequently backing out. I'm not being condesending, it's just that this is the first time I have heard about the U.S. Military lending her support and then withdrawing it. Now I have seen a bunch of vets getting uppity because they claim the uniforms weren't accurate or that the Humvee's weren't the exact same model, and other trivial shit like that. I don't think that is what you're referring to however.

There wasn't a disclaimer for the millions who watched it that said "Caution, this is fiction". Maybe I'm splitting hairs. Maybe at this point it's the best that'll ever come out of there. Maybe I should actually be appreciative. But I can't. You see it differently. Great, that's why we live in America.

It is the best to come out of there. Think about the movie, as a whole. There is nothing int he movie demonizing or prasing the war. Nothing about soldiers being baby killers or grand liberators. It centers around an individual. A single man. It was extremely refreshing to see a movie come out of Hollywood that doesn;t have a slant or bias, but instead just tells a story. Personally, I've never been a fan of disclaimers. If a person can't watch a movie like The Hurt Locker, and not instantly realize that it is a work of fiction - well then, they are already too far gone for a disclaimer to help. As to the rest, I agree.

 

[scottspfd82]

I'll jump back in cuz hey, it's either this or work...

I mentioned at the top that I was there (pretty close to the time period they're depicting) and that I thought it was a good movie...

However, it's a good fictional movie. I want to reinforce...

One last note, for those of you who've seen it, a lot of that shit just wouldn't happen in real life. But it's fiction, not a documentary, and as a fictional portrayal it's pretty good.

I probably should have said it stronger. I wasn't EOD but Sgt. James wouldn't have been allowed to operate in any of the ways he did. From his first mission to trying to hunt down those responsible for the base rat, that shit would not happen.

JarrodLV had a great description. It's a psychological movie. It gives you that feeling, that any rock, bag, pile of dirt, sniper, car... ANYTHING can kill you over there. That's a hard feeling to capture in film.

And it does, to a degree, show you different ways people deal with war. You have the Specialist, who deep down is just scared shitless and wants to go home.

The other character was a lifer who was tired of being deployed and starting to question his own mortality.

And I've met guys very similar to Sgt. James... Who get off of a rotation and can't wait to spend another year of their lives in that shit hole, because yeah, when you come back here it's a different world, and it takes adjusting no matter who you are.

I can relate to him on a certain level. When you're ordered to search the cars coming onto the base, and there are suicide car bombs exploding daily, the adrenaline level is through the roof.

By the time I left I didn't notice the constant sounds of gunfire, and when the mortar alarms went off I'd take cover the best I could and just hope for the best. But, at least for me, you get used to the fear and the adrenaline rush is something I'll never experience again.

Hurt Locker does a good job, not necessarily a realistic depiction, but a good job at giving you the sense of being there. A sense of dealing with the fact that you're in a place you don't necessarily want to be, where everyone hates you, and where you can't tell the guys who want to blow you up from the guys who just want to sell you some DVD's.

-Scott