The Hurt Locker (2008)

October 16, 2022 8:52 AM

Staff Sgt. William James (Jeremy Renner), Sgt. J.T. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) are members of a bomb-disposal unit in Baghdad. As their tour of duty enters its final weeks, the men face a set of increasingly hazardous situations, any of which could end their lives in an explosive instant.

Also starring David Morse, Guy Pearce, Evangeline Lilly, Ralph Fiennes.

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow. Written by Mark Boal.

97% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Currently streaming in the US on Netflix. Also available for digital rental on multiple outlets. JustWatch listing.

posted by DirtyOldTown (3 comments total)

The two things that stand out to me is a) the criticism from veterans, especially EOD veterans, regarding the film's inaccuracies; and b) how many of the film's stars went on to feature prominently in the MCU.
posted by Halloween Jack at 5:35 PM on October 16, 2022

The Hurt Locker is basically a superhero movie/plot but just set in the contemporary Iraq War.

I watched this after seeing Generation Kill and The Hurt Locker screamed "dramatic Hollywood retelling" rather than any resemblance to reality.
posted by meowzilla at 1:17 PM on October 17, 2022

It's been years since the one and only time I watched The Hurt Locker. I won't say anything about the characters or storyline. The one thing that really blew me away (no pun intended) was the production. And not just the production, but the location shooting. I was watching the movie and I was asking myself, "did they actually film this in Iraq?"
posted by Stuka at 2:27 PM on October 17, 2022