The Hurt Locker (15)

Gosh, I wish I would have had that inofrmation earlier!

Can’t understand why this film got an Oscar, must have been political. Other than seeing bomb disposal there was little else that was new, many of the scenes were in “Jarhead� like coming across the “enemy� in the desert, sniping with your buddy as telescopic look out, counting days to go. I would like to get a military critic to review all recent American war films as do all soldiers react in a totally uncontrolled manner like 6 soldiers firing aimlessly together at a target, disobedience to orders, shouting in English at an Arab who can’t speak English. What was the scene about when the hero bomb disposer decided to seek out the person who detonated the truck as he guessed it wasn’t a suicide bomber who did it. Other than getting his buddy killed what did he expect to find? Why did “Beckham� have a bomb inside him, was this to be detonated by someone. I could go on as I would have expected this Oscar winning to be much more credible.

i love this movie but the scene where the sas are rescued by a bomb desposal unit is laughible, and thy were infact SAS in iraq there was an operation codenamed task force black which consisted of delta force and ''A'' squadron SAS working together where they were issued a deck of cards that consisted of the main terrorist players that they were tasked to capture. they were not contractors hense the part they call in for air support, contractors dont have access to air support! and i would definetly not be sitting back whilst an IED expert was taking out snipers with my barret .50 cal.......but all in all best war film iv seen in a while......thats not in real life that is :)

Just watched this film on recommendation. Having now read reviews in the major broadsheets, I wonder if we were watching the same film. Dull, tediously slow, Amaerican drum-banging. Don't understand why the British element was drawn in, unless to highlight American bravado. Silly in the extreme and a waste of £5 for the DVD.

usman, took me longer to read your review than watch the film. It's "improvised" not "intra" by the way.

Perhaps they were called contractors, but it was pretty obvious they were ex-SAS, so the criticisms of them sitting around while some US bomb disposal troops use their gun is ridiculous.

Men really do get very over-excited about these things... Okay, I've just had a look on the film's credits and Ralph Fiennes is listed as 'Contractor Team Leader'.

to those of you who are saying that they were not SAS. you guys don't know jack. The SAS, Delta, DevGru, were charged with seeking out and capturing terrorist big shots. remember the deck of most wanted cards? Contractors were not tasked to get them. The big giveaway is the fact that they call in for air support. Contractors don't call in for military air support. Soldiers can get bonuses for capturing hotshots too. This movie was made by someone who is used to being a hollywood liberal... for an audience with know knowledge of the military. An SAS team being pinned down by Hajis from a KNOWN sniper position? I'm sorry this is not realistic. Even more so, they get saved by a sniping EOD tech? give me a break. Sure the main Character was a ranger, so it's believable he went to sniper school, but Sanborne sniping? highly unrealistic. but the libs watching this movie have no idea. they just think "pow pow.. guns shooting... army men... all the same". And 3 EOD guys running around by themselves? Unsupported? I'm sorry, the EOD guys don't come in until the area is secured and cordoned off. And the main tech going around without procedures or not using the BOT when they have it? totally absurd. I wanted to like this movie. But that SAS scene just pushed it over the top. This is liberal hollywood fiction, not a war movie. For accurate depictions, watch blackhawk down (somalia), saving private ryan (ww2), taegukki: the brotherhood of war (korean war), hamburger hill (vietham). this movie is a disgrace.

An OK movie, appealing more to US sentimentality/guilt about its armed forces. Some realistic parts, but frankly the SAS scene was downright laughable. So we are to believe a highly armed SAS patrol comes under fire from some insurgents and then they sit around meekly whilst being rescued by a US bomb disposal specialist. It was more like a Blackadder sketch. Note to Katheryn Bigelow - there are 2 entries on Wikipedia for SAS - you were looking at Scandinavian Airlines when you did your research.

I absolutely agree with NJW. I was expecting big things from The Hurt Locker but, having seen Generation Kill, it pales miserably in comparison. OK, we only spend a couple of hours with the guys in this film compared to seven or so with the tv series lot, but Gen.Kill is the first time I've ever understood why anyone would want to join the Marines. The authenticity of the show (writing, direction, dilemmas, language, camaraderie, frustration, politics) is insightful, innovative and outstandingly executed. Apart from one or two exceptional moments in The Hurt Locker (the desert shoot-out sniper part in particular), I really can't say the same for it. Watch Generation Kill!!