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Kathryn Bigelow Talks THE HURT LOCKER With Mr. Beaks!

At some point over the last twenty-three years, between ALIENS and the execrable TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN, action cinema gave way to activity cinema. Whether this is a case of art imitating the clutter of everyday life, or just sheer laziness born out of by-committee filmmaking, I have no idea. I only know that the terse, muscular, no-bullshit style favored by my heroes - people like Walter Hill and John McTiernan - is so far out of vogue that an instant classic of the genre like Kathryn Bigelow's THE HURT LOCKER is currently being treated like art house fare. This is especially frustrating because Bigelow's film isn't the least bit esoteric or inaccessible. Though there's plenty to deconstruct if that's your thing, THE HURT LOCKER is basically just a white-knuckler of a combat flick that takes the audience on a harrowing tour of duty with an Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) unit in Iraq. Set during the height of the war, the movie follows a group of bomb techs (including Guy Pearce, Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty) as they're called in to defuse Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), which, as we know all too well, quickly became the deadly weapon of choice for insurgents. The tension in the film is twofold: on one hand, you've got the intricately assembled bombs that have been hidden in everything from cars to human bodies; on the other, there are the Iraqi civilians who watch from windows and rooftops. Friend or foe? Wait long enough to find out, and you might just have a bullet tearing through your chest or a bomb going off in your face. Though Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal (who based his excellent script on his own experiences as an embedded journalist during the war) are commenting on the addictive nature of warfare, the film isn't political at all. THE HURT LOCKER is about warriors and, occasionally, heroes who get a buzz from dancing around death for a living; it's about the fucked-up individuals without whom we cannot successfully wage war. And it is a reminder that Kathryn Bigelow is still one of our best action directors - even if her brand of action has more to do with old-fashioned stuff like character than artificial CG spectacle. THE HURT LOCKER is only Bigelow's eighth feature since she made her debut twenty-seven years ago with THE LOVELESS (an interesting riff on THE WILD ONE starring Willem Dafoe). And while she is, in my mind, as gifted an action filmmaker as is working today, it's important to note that she has dabbled in many different genres (e.g. horror with NEAR DARK, sci-fi with STRANGE DAYS, and biblical epic with POINT BREAK). THE HURT LOCKER, obviously, is her war film. It is also her first masterpiece. I spoke with Bigelow over the phone a few weeks ago, and tried my best to not sound like a fanboy who grew up worshipping NEAR DARK and, strangely enough, her killer episode of WILD PALMS (which concluded with a gunfight scored to The Animals' "House of the Rising Sun"). She very graciously never hung up on me.

Mr. Beaks: Was there ever a notion to try to set THE HURT LOCKER up at a studio?

Kathryn Bigelow: Actually, no. I've never made a studio film - which is perhaps not necessarily common knowledge. That's because studios have distributed or picked up my movies while we're in production. So, no, having access to a really terrific script, I wanted to protect it by maintaining complete creative control, final cut, and the opportunity to cast emerging talent. Those were my parameters going in. And working independently certainly gets you a long way there. I also wanted to shoot it in the Middle East. I wanted to get as close to Iraq as possible. In fact, a couple of my locations were about five kilometers from the Iraqi border. So we were close. We were in Jordan, in and around the city of Amman. Basically, we raised the money independently, shot it independently, and we were fortunate enough to sell it to a distributor when we premiered [at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival].

Beaks: One of the keys was casting emerging talent. I can't imagine anyone other than Jeremy Renner in this role. But I wonder what would've happened had, say, Leonardo DiCaprio stumbled across this script and said, "This is my next movie." Though you wanted to go independent, do you think you could resist the extra money and exposure that might bring?

Bigelow: I think he's a fabulous actor, but I was so committed to Jeremy. I hate to speak in hypotheticals, but from early on, when the script was still somewhat unformed, I became aware of DAHMER and all of his subsequent work, and was extremely committed to Jeremy Renner being Sgt. James.

Beaks: In terms of story structure, how did you and Mark approach the story? Did you have specific set-pieces in mind first, and then build the characters out of those scenes?

Bigelow: As I'm sure you know, Mark was on a journalistic embed in Baghdad in the winter of 2004 with bomb squads. He was with various teams that would go out. You basically go out in the morning or afternoon, and... I think it's a solid forty-eight hours on, twenty-four hours off. It's fairly arduous and you basically move from suspicious objects to suspicious piles to suspicious wires; it's IED to IED to IED throughout the city. At the time, in 2004, I think Mark said there were twelve to fifteen teams of three to four men in Baghdad. This was kind of the beginning of the insurgency using IEDs as their primary weapons. I remember one of the techs turned to Mark while they were out on one of their missions and said, "We are the war. It's not a ground-to-ground or air-to-air war. It's ground troops patrolling the areas, looking for suspicious objects or wires or rubble piles and calling in the bomb squad." Now, there's obviously a lot more sophisticated equipment, but this was circa 2004. So you come back from Iraq with this phenomenal firsthand observation about a day in the life of a bomb tech - or, as I would look at it, a day in the life of an individual who has the most dangerous job in the world. That dictated the structure of the script: that kind of reportorial, observational approach. And the character, to answer your other question, would be revealed through activity. So, in other words, imagine you as an audience member or a reporter as a fly on the wall observing these techs, and they reveal themselves bit-by-bit to you through activity.

Beaks: The most fascinating element about these missions is that as they're defusing these bombs, they're surrounded on every side by people who might want to do them harm. It's not like most bomb disarming scenes we see in movies. Usually, the focus is just on the man and the bomb.

Bigelow: Right, and unlike in other conflicts, there is no refuge, there is no Saigon. Even in the Green Zone, a mortar round can come through the roof. When I talked to the techs after their tours of duty or the Blackwater guys who were with us while we were shooting, it's basically a 24/7, 360-degree threat environment. I mean, the guy up on the balcony could be hanging out his laundry or calling in your coordinates for a sniper hit. It's one or the other! (Laughs in disbelief)

Beaks: One thing I don't think people take into account with these guys is how highly intelligent they have to be to get assigned to a bomb squad unit.

Bigelow: That's an aspect that's very, very critical. You're invited into EOD [Explosive Ordinance Disposal] because you've scored on an aptitude test at a very high level. You're definitely a rare kind of individual. And to amplify what you're saying, you have to take into consideration that this is a volunteer military. So these are individuals who have an extremely high IQ and have chosen - after being invited into EOD - to take on the most dangerous job in the world. When Mark came back and explained what it was like spending time with [the techs], that they were there by choice, provided a really interesting and rich psychological profile. And then I became aware of that book by Chris Hedges, WAR IS A FORCE THAT GIVES US MEANING, and in there... he's trying to unpack the nature of a volunteer military. And he speaks about the allure and attractiveness of combat - hence that quote at the beginning, "War is a drug." (Laughs) It's complicated! I'm sorry! Yes, the film is designed as a piece of entertainment, which is why I think the script is so beautifully crafted. But there's also a high degree of substance and information that I particularly find very relevant.

Beaks: Absolutely! I'm really intrigued by that need to get back into it. And the fact that the biggest nightmare for [Sgt. James] is buying cereal at the grocery store. He can't imagine a life as horrifying as that, and would just prefer to be near death all the time.

Bigelow: I'll refer you back to Chris Hedges, who I think described it quite beautifully. He talked about the kind of purpose and meaning that he elicits in situ and that he can't find anywhere else. That type of individual. And I think that perfectly describes James. That kind of locking down on any given ordinance when everybody else in the city or area would be running from it. You see a kind of sense of purpose and meaning. And yet at the same time, they're very heroic and courageous individuals.

Beaks: And all of that comes through so palpably in Jeremy performance. I'm wondering how much of this you threw at him prior to shooting the film.

Bigelow: It was fairly evolved and well-articulated in the script. And on top of that, Jeremy spent time at Fort Irwin with the EOD techs there, and actually went through a kind of bomb squad boot camp if you will, where he put on a suit for the first time. That's a real heavy suit. It weighs approximately anywhere between 80 and 100 lbs. Those are real steel plates. It's not wardrobe. We shot in the Middle East in the summer with an average temperature of about 115 degrees. I obviously have profound respect for this actor. But literally something as simple as his first exercise... the first exercise that they gave him - which apparently they give to everyone - was a pile of 200 paperclips on the floor, and you've got move one-by-one twenty feet away. First of all, you have limited oxygen. And, apparently, because of the heat inside the suit - which you compound with the elemental aspect of summer in Baghdad - your IQ drops ten to twenty points. And you're tasked to make what could potentially be a catastrophic decision. And that's when you're out in the field. I'm not talking about moving paperclips. But that's how they start you. It's a tremendous amount of rigor and precision and stamina that is required even before you get to the IED! (Laughs) It's fascinating that the ground troops really stop the war for the bomb techs. The bomb techs are the star players; they're the quarterbacks of this particular conflict. So anyway, the ground troops have contained the 300 meter area, and the bomb tech, as you see with the opening sequence, is calling out their approximate relationship to the IED - 100 meters, 50 meters, 25 meters - as they get closer so that everybody is aware of his approach. I mean, let's say there's a tripwire, let's say there's a secondary initiating system, let's say there's a sniper hit... whatever. And they say at about 150 meters you're thinking of your family; you're trying to make peace with whatever you're about to encounter. And then at 25 meters, that's the point of no return, or what's referred to as the "kill zone". And sometimes not even a suit can help you there.

Beaks: I really want to ask you about the design and choreographing of these set-pieces. Do you storyboard?

Bigelow: I do board. In fact, I boarded all of the set pieces even while the script was in an early stage of development, before we had even found our locations. It gives me an opportunity to look at it graphically, and begin to imagine the choreography, the blocking, the camera positions, how many cameras I'll need, pacing, editing... I find it a really wonderful tool. But I also don't slavishly adhere to them. I tend to do one complete, fairly comprehensive pass, and then never look back. (Laughs) But what it does, is it gives... like, for instance, a shot that I find very kind of emblematic, where you're overhead and he's pulling up the det cord attached to the daisy chain? That's a shot that I found boarding and hung on to. But, yet, I basically wanted to let go of the boards so that [the film] doesn't feel too schematic and too mechanical, and feels very reportorial. That was really my overriding visual approach. And each take I would re-choreograph and re-position the cameras. The actor was never anticipating a camera either off his left or right shoulder; it was always kind of an element of surprise. And then because it was an element of surprise, it was easy to disappear in your mind. What was so great about these actors - Jeremy, Anthony and Brian - had really done their homework. They knew how to work with the bomb suit, which does take two to three guys to put on, and what the protocol of bomb disarmament is. They were as close to replicating reality.

Beaks: I never questioned for a minute that these guys could do what they were doing onscreen.

Bigelow: Oh, thank you. That means so much. That sense of reality I think is really important. Within the EOD community, those who've seen it also appreciate its authenticity and its rigorous attention to detail.



THE HURT LOCKER opens this Friday, June 26th, in limited release. It will gradually go wider over the month of July. Do not miss it. Faithfully submitted, Mr. Beaks

Readers Talkback
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  • June 26, 2009, 2 a.m. CST

    First, second, fiftieth, whatever

    by yodalovesyou

    Is Michael Jackson really dead?

  • June 26, 2009, 2:23 a.m. CST

    Great interview and a great movie.

    by Fortunesfool

    Easily one of the best of the year, which isn't saying much, but it is VERY good.

  • June 26, 2009, 2:43 a.m. CST

    What noise does a bum clock make?

    by MelvintheMopBoy

    But-tick, but-tock!

  • June 26, 2009, 3:02 a.m. CST

    best phrase you've ever written beaks

    by drturing

    "biblical epic Point Break"

  • June 26, 2009, 3:03 a.m. CST

    And i cannot say enough

    by drturing

    this movie is to action movies what Moon is to scifi movies. But I think you're wrong, Near Dark is her first masterpiece. The bar scene alone is better than 99% of all short films.

  • June 26, 2009, 3:03 a.m. CST

    Great point Beaks

    by kwisatzhaderach

    Old school action is all but dead. All Hail Bigelow! This film is terrific!

  • June 26, 2009, 3:04 a.m. CST

    drturing

    by kwisatzhaderach

    I'd say Near Dark, Point Break and Strange Days are all masterpieces. What could be doe to them to improve them? Nothing.

  • June 26, 2009, 3:59 a.m. CST

    Point Break

    by warsinthesun

    A very under appreciated film. Sits alongside Die Hard as one of the best action movies ever made.

  • June 26, 2009, 4:25 a.m. CST

    have you ever fired a gun into the air because you love

    by ironic_name

    someone to much to shoot them?

  • June 26, 2009, 4:26 a.m. CST

    someone too much to shoot them?

    by ironic_name

  • June 26, 2009, 5:04 a.m. CST

    kwis

    by Mr Gorilla

    god i agree, i love those movies. and they look so good a decade ahead - i love them even more. it must have broken their hearts when it wasn't a hit at the time - it's due a major re-release and re-appraisal. i remember at the time everyone in the uk was going on about TRAINSPOTTING, and I was thinking, hang on? what about this STRANGE DAYS...

  • June 26, 2009, 5:17 a.m. CST

    Katherine Bigelow should direct a Megas XLR movie.

    by DerLanghaarige

    Think of it: A movie adaptation of a show that makes fun of Transformers & Co., directed by someone who is much better than Michael Bay!

  • June 26, 2009, 5:21 a.m. CST

    Mr Gorilla

    by kwisatzhaderach

    Yeah Strange Days just went off the radar and got a terrible release here in the UK after it bombed stateside. If you hadn't been following it you would never have known it had been released. <p> Everyone i've recommended the movie to has always loved it. One of the best films of the 90s as far as i'm concerned.

  • June 26, 2009, 6:44 a.m. CST

    ironic_name, I think you were going for:

    by raw_bean

    'Have you ever fired a gun into the air and gone "aarrrgghh"?'<p>Groovy interview, I'd rather like to see this.

  • June 26, 2009, 6:50 a.m. CST

    so underated

    by aclockworkkebab

    i dont think shes made a movie i didnt like, and she does action and suspense much better than a lot of the hacks that get regular big budget shite to direct.

  • June 26, 2009, 6:54 a.m. CST

    hey kwis!

    by Mr Gorilla

    I live in UK too... I remember being gutted because it was on at the ODEON LEICESTER SQ (my favourite) for its premiere, but swiftly moved away, so I had to see it at screen 5 or something at the Plaza. Would have loved to have seen it on the massive screen.

  • June 26, 2009, 6:55 a.m. CST

    feel the love

    by Mr Gorilla

    I have to post again because I have posted so much hate for TF2, and people complain that this site is only for whiners, and we gotta show them that it's also for people to enthuse about things they love too. (That's why Harry's DVD page is one of my favourites things here.)

  • June 26, 2009, 7:27 a.m. CST

    STRANGE DAYS

    by timmer33

    Strange Days is a masterpiece.

  • June 26, 2009, 7:46 a.m. CST

    Point Break was excellent

    by krullboyisback

    kind of straddled the 80s action genre, and really led into the "Speed" type action of the 1990s. Lori Petty was hot in a "hot-cute" way in that movie, but have not really heard much from her recently. And Patrick Swaze was great too. . . I really hope he beats cancer, but things don't look good. . and be a big OSU fan, I loved that Johnny Utah was a QB for the Buckeyes!!

  • June 26, 2009, 7:55 a.m. CST

    I love you Kathryn. There, I said it.

    by Stuntcock Mike

  • June 26, 2009, 8:05 a.m. CST

    I love you mrs Bigelow

    by ominus

    Near Dark is of my favourite vampire movies and i like the rest of your work. <p>You are a very talented director and a beautiful woman too,i wish you the very best with your new movie.

  • June 26, 2009, 8:08 a.m. CST

    I wrote two film essays last year.

    by Fortunesfool

    For my degree. One was on Near Dark and the other, Strange Days. Bigelow's a legend as far as i'm concerned and a few of today's shaky-cam hacks could learn some valuable lessons from her.

  • June 26, 2009, 9:15 a.m. CST

    yes raw_bean, but I wanted to mention the love aspect

    by ironic_name

  • June 26, 2009, 9:48 a.m. CST

    bo-ring

    by JackRabbitSlim

    Iraq war film = self-righteous a-holes preaching about the human tragedy of war. Zzzzzzz.

  • June 26, 2009, 9:48 a.m. CST

    Blue Steel is a MASTERPIECE

    by fassbinder79

    Watched it again with my wife last night. Amazing shootout at the end. Lots of action. Highly recommended. Bigelow is the real deal.

  • June 26, 2009, 9:49 a.m. CST

    well done with the movie, bitch

    by Mysterious_Volvo

  • June 26, 2009, 9:55 a.m. CST

    Kathryn is GREAT at what she does.

    by BillyMayesHere

    Pure talent. Always has been.

  • June 26, 2009, 10:08 a.m. CST

    JackRabbitSlim

    by gotilk

    Got it wrong on this one. This is NOT one of those films.

  • June 26, 2009, 10:31 a.m. CST

    STRANGE DAYS has one of the most unsettling scenes EVER.

    by Mr. Nice Gaius

    You know the one I'm talking about...Sizemore...the girl...<P>Creeps me the frak out.

  • June 26, 2009, 11:32 a.m. CST

    I am an EFF BEE EYE AGENT!

    by Darth Busey

    Utah! Two!

  • June 26, 2009, 1:27 p.m. CST

    Mr Gorilla

    by kwisatzhaderach

    Sadly TF2 took $60 million yesterday, prob more than The Hurt Locker will take in its whole theatrical run. <p> Such is life...

  • June 26, 2009, 2:04 p.m. CST

    that would be a waste of time

    by Six Demon Bag

    yeah we just want to fuck you up..

  • June 26, 2009, 2:51 p.m. CST

    Mr. Nice Gaius, the Strange Days scene you cite (SPOILERS)

    by Nasty In The Pasty

    Is that the rape/murder sequence where the killer places that squid-thingie on the head of his victim so she can watch herself get murdered through the eyes of her killer? Goddamnit, that concept HAUNTED me for DAYS afterwards.<BR><BR>Anyways, a new action flick from "Bam-Bam" Bigelow is to be treasured in the days of crapola like Transformers and Domino. I can't wait to see this.

  • June 26, 2009, 2:52 p.m. CST

    Maybe I should give this another shot

    by theneonsamurai

    I saw this like 6 months back (European blu-ray) and it didn't really grab me, But Kathryn Bigelow is going to be at the Landmark in NY tonight introducing the film and maybe Q&A, so maybe I should give it a go on the big screen.

  • June 26, 2009, 3:02 p.m. CST

    Nasty In The Pasty

    by Mr. Nice Gaius

    Yep, that's the one. A totally horrifying concept and one that is filmed in a really creepy and effective manner. It's very intense and it definitely does (or should) stick with you for awhile afterwards.<P>From what I remember, the girl who played the victim was gorgeous, too.

  • June 26, 2009, 4:01 p.m. CST

    She really should...

    by Zandunga

    ...make more movies. Very attractive woman as well - extremely smart, good looking, articulate, talented filmmaker. Yow.<p> People should support this film and go see it so that real talent gets nurtured, as opposed to that piece of irredemable trash Transformers.

  • June 26, 2009, 6:55 p.m. CST

    First masterpiece? are you nuts?

    by ev1ldead

    Near Dark is the best modern vampire flick. Masterpiece. Strange Days is one of the most underestimated sci fi flicks of all time. Better than many classics. Motherfucking Masterpiece Number 2.

  • June 26, 2009, 7:07 p.m. CST

    Re: Katherine Bigelow should direct a Megas XLR movie.

    by Droogie Alex

    Let me work on it. I used to video edit the animated series. Those guys went on to produce Metalocalypse

  • June 26, 2009, 7:11 p.m. CST

    sniper scene was dumb

    by TheExterminator

    still a great movie tho

  • June 26, 2009, 7:29 p.m. CST

    Why oh why didn;t they give the new TERMINATOR movie to her!?!!

    by MaxTheSilent

  • June 26, 2009, 8:31 p.m. CST

    Giving her Terminator would have been bizarre

    by Projectedlight

    Given that she's James Cameron's ex-wife. That said, they're still friends (Cameron even supposedly recommended she go with 'The Hurt Locker' when she was trying to pick between a few projects for her next film) and he co-wrote the script for Strange Days, so I'm sure he would have felt much more comfortable with his baby in her hands than in McG's.

  • June 26, 2009, 9:45 p.m. CST

    It would have been a natural choice to give her Terminator

    by m_reporter

    Besides her near flawless history with action films, she is close friends with Cameron and worked with him on Strange Days.<p> The Hurt Locker is amazing.

  • June 26, 2009, 10:30 p.m. CST

    So when are we getting an ANAMORPHIC Strange Days DVD?

    by Nasty In The Pasty

    It KILLS me to see the movie littering the $5.99 bin in most supermarkets and electronic stores. The extras on the disc are fine, we just need a spiffed-up transfer.

  • June 27, 2009, 1:26 a.m. CST

    Strange Days is her masterpiece

    by TurdontheRun

    Hugely underrated movie. I've no idea why it flopped. Certainly deserves a special edition DVD, but since it is a fairly cult film I don't know if it'll get one. The current DVD has barely any extras. A commentary with Cameron and Bigelow would be nice. I wonder what Cameron's own version of Strange Days would have been like? But Bigelow did as good a job as any, it was a very faithful translation of the script, so it may not have been much different - it's like asking what True Romance would have been like if Tarantino had directed, and not Tony Scott.<p>Bigelow would have done a great job on Terminator as well; better than McDick, that's for sure.

  • June 27, 2009, 2:50 a.m. CST

    Strange Days is a top 10 film of the 1990's

    by ugh

  • June 27, 2009, 3:21 a.m. CST

    Really happy to see Strange Days getting so

    by southafricanguy

    much love around here. Such a ridiculously underrated sci-fi movie, how the fuck did it fail to just make fuckall $$$? Anyway...wish Cameron would write another sci-fi script for her.

  • June 27, 2009, 3:22 a.m. CST

    Hey Turd, Kwis, mr gaius...whats up guys?

    by southafricanguy

    Any of you been to marketsaw.com and read the info posted by a crewperson on Avatar? He/she has some really interesting things to say....

  • June 27, 2009, 3:28 a.m. CST

    I cant wait for Avatar, im just so sick of all the

    by southafricanguy

    crappy summer movies....Geez just saw TF2 this morning (dont hate me guys, my girlfriend got free tickets...) ...and really what the fuck can I say?

  • June 27, 2009, 6:51 a.m. CST

    southafricanguy

    by Projectedlight

    You can say, "at least we didn't give any money to Michael Bay", and "bring on Avatar!"

  • June 27, 2009, 7:11 a.m. CST

    projectedlight...lol dude. Yeah you are so

    by southafricanguy

    damn right, we really need a damn good sci-fi action epic that understands story, characterization, and how to do and use action properly. We need our sci-fi TDK this year man....

  • June 27, 2009, 8:42 a.m. CST

    try to watch the opening scene of Starnge Days

    by JohnRyder

    while high. an experience for a life. it is. just writing it gives me shivers.

  • June 27, 2009, 8:44 a.m. CST

    however Strange Days is not perfect

    by JohnRyder

    too much songs. felt like an 80s Stallone movie

  • June 27, 2009, 9:16 a.m. CST

    Very Nice Piece, Beaks

    by RobFromBackEast

    Good job, man. Looking forward to seeing this.

  • June 27, 2009, 11:52 a.m. CST

    William in one, John in the other

    by Grammaton Cleric Binks

    Break open in case of acting emergency where incredible talent is immediately needed.

  • June 27, 2009, 11:52 a.m. CST

    Bigelow

    by kwisatzhaderach

    would never have made Terminator 4. She's an artist.

  • June 27, 2009, 11:53 a.m. CST

    Hey southafricanguy

    by kwisatzhaderach

    All good my friend. Giving Transformers a wide berth...

  • June 27, 2009, 1:38 p.m. CST

    you're cold because all

    by johnnylawless2

    the blood is running out of your body Roach, you're gonna be dead soon. I hope it was worth it!

  • June 27, 2009, 2:41 p.m. CST

    Nice job Beaks

    by wash

    And I'll add to the chorus by saying everyone should go see this rather than Minstrel Robot Battle this weekend.

  • June 27, 2009, 5:21 p.m. CST

    Strange Days

    by TheNewDirector

    Agreed guys totally underrated and point break is a guilty pleasure of mine, just great movie, this summer is garbage for films, bring on Moon and AVATAR!

  • June 28, 2009, 12:44 a.m. CST

    Point Break

    by The Mothman

    Funny how when you're a kid watching these types of movies they're just fun action flicks, then as an adult you realise they hold up under all kinds of scrutiny...police procedural realism (well sorta), plot structure, action editing, but most of all THEME. Bodhi's little speech about robbing banks to avoid becoming a 'dead soul' isn't a great deal of motivation, but it's SOMETHING. I really hope that the pungent scent attached to all these remakes doesn't somehow affect their legacy. If one of my Transformer-loving pals is anything to go by, it won't. I tried to recommend Robocop to him (he likes robots etc), and he said 'Nah...too slow'. Modern audiences = conditioned to quick editing and overall shitty movies. They can't be bothered questioning this new standard, so it shall continue for years to come I fear.

  • June 28, 2009, 5:43 a.m. CST

    This movie was excellence.

    by Stuntcock Mike

    I love you Kathryn.

  • June 28, 2009, 6:17 a.m. CST

    Good indie drama

    by Stalkeye

    The first six minutes will reel you in as it builds upon tension. solid performances by Mackie,Renner and a all too short appearance by Guy Pearce.too bad this movie will be overshadowed by the retarded mess that is transformers revenge of the fallen.

  • June 28, 2009, 8:07 p.m. CST

    A PICTURE OF SHIA LABEOUF'S REAL TALENT....

    by CharlesThomasMathews1978

    Remove the spaces... http://img33.imageshack.us/img 33/1410/spielberg2.jpg

  • June 28, 2009, 8:12 p.m. CST

    Awesome movie

    by Spaz Medicine

    Saw it last night in LA, followed by a Q&A with Jeremy Renner that was moderated by Sam Rockwell(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). It doesn't get any fucking better than that.

  • June 28, 2009, 9:23 p.m. CST

    That's beautiful CharlesThomasMathews1978

    by Toilet_Terror

    Where can I get a print?

  • June 28, 2009, 11:22 p.m. CST

    Best MOVIE OF 2009! Go See It and Take your Friends!!!

    by soloaj

    Went to NYC on Sat and saw the movie with Q&A afterwords with Director. All the Good Reviews are deserved- a tight thriller & Great War Movie! As soon as this goes wide I urge you to see this film. When the director came out for quick Q&A I was surprised to see tall, slim, soft spoken lady - expected something totally different :). She and her crew deserve much credit in making a great movie that a fresh breath of air. GO SEE IT ASAP!

  • June 29, 2009, 1:01 a.m. CST

    Boots on the ground in 2004

    by Smithaz1981

    oda was always there and we were always waiting on them cause they had another ied to diffuse before us. Some of the best memories of my life are waiting for them and taking out the ied ourselves. Some courageous mf were walk up to the ied place c4 and blow the sucker up before we got there. I got to that once, almost shit my pants scary as hell. A couple times me and LT would shoot at the sucker and till it exploded, but it never did. One of my favorite movies is strange days.

  • June 29, 2009, 1:36 p.m. CST

    Look...

    by Cleardale

    The movie was ok, I did like that the soldiers were treated as real people. But realistic...no, not close, not close at all...

  • June 29, 2009, 5:26 p.m. CST

    Can't Figure Out the Disconnect

    by BigEddieCalzone

    I can't figure out why this is given such short shrift out in the real world. An art house film? Gimme a break. There's more nutsack-tightening tension in the first ten minutes of this movie than anything in Terminator or Transformers. This one needs some extra attention. GO SEE IT!

  • June 30, 2009, 10:56 a.m. CST

    Jeremy Renner for Best Actor

    by reflecto

    His performance is incredible and this is one of the best films of the year. The fact that Renner's great cop show "The Unusuals" wasn't renewed is a fucking crime.

  • June 30, 2009, 10:56 a.m. CST

    BTW Strange Days is awesome

    by reflecto

    I watch it every New Year's.

  • June 30, 2009, 4:40 p.m. CST

    this movie sounds

    by SpawnofAchilles

    SO AWESOME! And I dont even like war movies that much anymore, great concept.

  • July 1, 2009, 10:51 p.m. CST

    please GO SEE THIS FILM!

    by jason baum

    i was so fukin tense thoughout the damn thing, that i bit myself a fat lip! i do love beaks's proposition of; what if it had been leo instead? and i am here to tell you guys that yes - imho, leo could have done the 'james' role. not to take away from jeremy, they both look similar, and are very talented. regardless, i love the cast that they went with. this film deserves many nominations, and i wouldn't be surprised at all to see jeremy get nominated for the golden globes, though i think that's as high as hell get. (bonus: dexter's brother 'biney' is in this movie!!!)

  • July 7, 2009, 9:52 a.m. CST

    This chick is apparently a damn good director

    by Rupee88

    I haven't seen many of her films, but she really took it home on this one, along with her cast...good stuff.

  • July 11, 2009, 11:05 a.m. CST

    Hurt Locker opens nationwide July 24th

    by kwisatzhaderach

    or so it says on the ads.

  • July 12, 2009, 1:52 a.m. CST

    Hurt Locker opened in the Silicon Valley

    by growltiger

    At an Art House. Sigh. Well, to be fair, two art houses: one in San Jose and one in Palo Alto. <p> This is pathetic.

  • July 12, 2009, 10:57 a.m. CST

    Call

    by Cobbio

    The phone number for Regal Corporate is: 1-865-922-1123. Give them a call if you want to see "The Hurt Locker" and it's not playing in your area.<p> Calling might not make a bit of difference, but your never know.