“THE HURT LOCKER” – Adrenaline Junkies make unusual companions! =

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“THE HURT LOCKER” – Adrenaline Junkies make unusual companions! =

Rating: 9 of 10 stars.

The Iraq war has been a generally unpopular subject for films with the general public (witness the fine work in “STOP-LOSS”). This film covers the subject by leaving out the U.S. political elements & concentrates on U.S. & British soldiers doing a very difficult job of defusing bombs, other weapons & suicide bombers in that decimated country. Staff Sergeant James (JEREMY RENNER) is the exceptionally adept bomb expert whose adrenaline-junkie ways worry his fellow company men Sgt Sanborn (ANTHONY MACKIE) & fatalistic Specialist Eldridge (BRIAN GERAGHTY). It may not be very realistic (re risking soldiers lives defusing weapons that in most cases could more safely be simply blown up in the already-destroyed civilian areas), but it’s set-up & acted with great TENSION & BELIEVABILITY. You get to really “know” the finely-played characters (including a number of the Iraqi enemies & civilians)— their fears, quirks, rationalizations & thoughts. It’s the humanizing (& periodic depictions of dehumanizing conduct) that distinguishes this very well-done effort.