The Hurt Locker

I am slowly coming to realise that I never actually posted a review of this film after I saw it. I can't conceive of a reason why. It is without a doubt one of the best films I've seen this year (with Moon, Avatar and Frozen River). Whilst not as popular as Avatar, now with an equal nine Oscar nominations it might get a re-release, or do well on video. It follows the story of a bomb disposal squad in Iraq and their new, unconventional commander. It feels about as real as possible, and tells the story in an unobtrusive style, with little comment or judgement, especially in its ambiguous relationship to war - is it a pro or anti-war film? What side are the characters on? These are the most frequent of the many questions it raises about not just the Iraq war, but the human condition in general. One quote comes after they have mistreated a civilian, and is particularly significant: 'if he wasn't an insurgent, he sure as hell is now'. You've probably already heard how unbearably tense this film is. It shows us a fascinating aspect of modern war, of the difficulties they face in telling civilian from insurgent, and of their inability to act in sometimes terrifying situations. The ticking bomb could be representative of many things - most obviously the situation in Iraq in general - but the brilliance of this film is that it doesn't try to force an opinion upon you (like say, Avatar). It is a first class, unmissable movie experience.