The Hurt Locker
DVD Release Date: January 12, 2010
Cast:
By Sean Chavel
Calling The Hurt Locker one of the best films of 2009 is too
obvious. It is, but there is something more extraordinary swelling up. Last
summer during its release it was overlooked by the public and by the Hollywood
industry itself. But the buzz generated over the course of the rest of the year
making it one of the most talked about movies. End of the year screenings and
revivals sparked contagious interest. Among actor and director celebrities, the
word began to spread.
Allow me to declare now that The Hurt Locker could become
the greatest upset in Oscar history. The lead contender as of the moment is
Up in the Air, but if that doesn't win, The Hurt Locker could
become the first box office flop to ever win the top prize (to be fair it
grossed $16 million worldwide). It would be the greatest turnaround from trash
dumpster to cream of the crop in history. Keep in mind that The
Shawshank Redemption was not a box office champ in its original
theatrical release until it became celebrated on video. Even if Kathryn
Bigelow's film doesn't win, it without a doubt will gain status, reputation and
fanfare as the years go on. That's power.
THE MOVIE:
Bigelow's war film situates itself
in current day Iraq that sidesteps any viewpoint on politics, instead centering
on an Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team that defuses bombs clandestinely
spread out through the city of Baghdad. The three characters walk the line of
death on a daily basis.
Jeremy Renner (Dahmer, 28 Weeks Later) is
outstanding as Staff Sergeant William James, but it's a carefully modulated
performance that takes time for the audience to get under his layers. He doesn't
provide easy answers to the reasons behind his behavior, it's instead up to the
audience to chip away at his layers. The one thing that must be considered about
Sergeant James is that he is an adrenaline junkie. At the end of the movie he
broods over that he loves two things. We know by the end what one of them is at
least.
The reckless of Sergeant James is alarming to the other two members in his
squad, Sergeant J.T. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Eldridge
(Brian Geraghty) who just want to do their job carefully and practically, as
well as stay out of harm's way. What is amazing is that we get to know the
characters almost entirely in drawn-out action and suspense scenes of the men on
duty.
The brilliantly thought-out scenarios were conceived by screenwriter Mark
Boal who also wrote the story of what the underrated film In the Valley
of Elah was based on. Bigelow's camerawork seems influenced a little
too much of Ridley Scott at his most jittery. But the sequences themselves
create slowly riddled and apprehensive suspense comparable to Kubrick,
particularly Full Metal Jacket - the lapses and pauses in the
editing is crucial. Furthermost the most haunting final shot at the movies this
year.
SOUND + VISION:
This muscular war film has the
best sound design and stereo surround performance of any movie in a long time.
No kidding. Dolby Digital 5.1 in English and Spanish with optional 2.0 Dolby
Surround to maximize your needs. Anamorphic widescreen in 1.78:1 for the
best-looking and most fully scoped Iraq war movie yet.
PACKAGING/ LAYOUT:
New copies include
protective cardboard jacket. Cover art emphasizes the guns and explosions, but
almost strategically, leaves the names of the actors off of the box. Just not
interested in putting Jeremy Renner's name out on the box, but at least you get
his face. Otherwise, it's an attractive collage of photo art.
The main menu screen is montage panel art that is very intense, gets you in
the mood for combat. There are 18 chapter selections.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Three-sticks of dynamite out
of four. Not too many extras (just three) but its just right. Even small
participants like Guy Pearce and David Morse are present, but no Ralph Fiennes.
But it does leaving you wondering how much more you will get if an Academy
Awards edition ever comes out. Extras include:
- Feature length audio commentary with director Kathryn Bigelow and
writer Mark Boal - Uncharacteristically modulated and low-key commentary
for a war movie. Boal discusses to a great deal his experiences as an Iraq
journalist before he returned home to write the script. Bigelow is excellent
in course of tech issues.
- Image Gallery (23:30) -Long montage gallery with recorded
auditorium interview with Bigelow and Boal, who are at the top of their game
in sharing their unique work on this film. Surprisingly essential but I would
have chosen a different method, like get video of our two principals.
- The Hurt Locker: Behind the Scenes (12:30) - Above average,
interviews divided systematically under specific focuses. Bigelow and Boal
never get as in-depth as they get on the commentary or on the Image Gallery
feature, but this is a good quick briefing.
MY TWO CENTS:
At the Oscars, I predict that
Kathryn Bigelow will be the first woman to ever win for Best Director for her
challenging but masterful work - the car bomb scene alone beneath a crowded
plaza setting is one of the best sequences ever filmed. Historically, only three
women have ever been nominated. Lina Wertmüller for Seven
Beauties in 1976, Jane Campion for The Piano in 1993
and Sofia Coppola for Lost in Translation in 2003. All great
movies by the way. But Bigelow owns the field.
Jeremy Renner will probably not win for Best Actor. Jeff Bridges is
dominating the awards season with Crazy Heart, which is truly a
great performance. Bridges is displaying range, ability and nuance in a role
where we see and detect the compulsive natures in an uncontrollable man, and
understand immediately where they come from. But I think Renner gives the
slightly greater performance - he gives you nothing, no surface, and lets the
viewer dig into what's going on underneath - he is an enigmatic layer cake. This
is harder to pull off, and it would have been easy to reveal more early on. But
Renner is awesome in The Hurt Locker due to his
impenetrability. My vote for Best Actor of the year.
DVD sells for $17.99 at Amazon.com. This is going to be on the charts for a
very long time so might as well own it now so you can boast to your friends that
you got it first.
DVD FILM SCORE: A
DVD SOUND + VISION SCORE: A
DVD PACKAGING/ LAYOUT
SCORE: B+
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES SCORE: B+
DVD OVERALL SCORE:
A-
