An elite Army bomb squad based in Baghdad delves into dangerous territory every day of their tour of duty. Sergeant First Class William James joins the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit team as their new team leader after their previous team leader is killed by a a remote-detonated improvised explosive device (IED). James joins team members Sergeant J.T. Sanborn and Specialist Owen Eldridge, whose job it is to secure the area and keep others safe while the team leader dons a bomb suit and disarms IED’s. Sergeant Sanborn and Specialist Eldridge are not sure what to make of Sergeant James risky methods during their missions. As their tour of duty winds down the team members are each faced with unimaginable situations.

The three lead actors all give fine performances. Jeremy Renner is outstanding as the reckless Sergeant James, providing a fascinating study of a man who is made for war. There is a reason Kathryn Bigelow won the Oscar for best director, she deserved it. The direction of this film is superb, the use of hand-held cameras, cinematography, screenplay, art direction, everything about this movie is impressive. I’ve never been a big fan of war movies but this film is different, allowing the audience to walk in the shoes of soldiers in Iraq. If you haven’t seen The Hurt Locker yet, you should, if it isn’t a classic film on a top 100 list already it soon will be.

2008. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow. Starring Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes and David Morse.

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