ALLAN HUNTER at the Movies

THE IRAQ WAR has inspired a collection of films steeped in moral uncertainty and soul-searching reflection. Films like Redacted, Battle For Haditha and In The Valley Of Elah that have been praised by some and seen by very few.

The Hurt Locker takes a different approach to events, placing the viewer in the front line of conflict and capturing all the heart-racing, adrenaline rush of knowing that each day could be your last. It is incredibly well directed by Kathryn Bigelow, and absolutely riveting.

Jeremy Renner gives an outstanding performance as Staff Sergeant William James. He is a blithe spirit who displays something of a John Wayne swagger as he approaches his work with a bomb disposal unit in Iraq.

When we first meet him, he seems unnecessarily reckless with a callous disregard for the safety of the men around him. The bigger the bombs, the tougher the challenge, the more he seems to relish the situation.

By the end of the film, we have come to realise this may be the only way to maintain your sanity in a situation that places an unbearable pressure on every serving soldier in his unit.

The Hurt Locker brings a fresh eye to some familiar situations by really focusing on the details of the work undertaken by a bomb disposal team on a daily basis. There is an immense amount of tension in the discovery of a hidden wire that leads to a nest of bombs or the way grains of sands burst into the air from the force of an explosion.

Bigelow manages to make it feel as if you are really there amidst the heat, dust and destruction. This is a film that has all the impact of a thriller and leaves you with a greater understanding of why some soldiers have never felt more alive than at the moment when they are closest to death.

Nationwide release

Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Christian Camargo, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Guy Pearce
Screenwriter: Mark Boal
Certificate: 15