The Boys Are Back: Movie Review
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Clive Owen, Laura Fraser, Nicholas McAnulty, George
McKay, Erik Thomson
Director: Scott Hicks
Clive Owen stars as Joe, a wise cracking sports journalist and absentee
father (due to work) in south Australia.
He's got a pretty sweet life; a wife Katy (Laura Fraser) whom he adores and a
six year old Artie (a brilliant, crowd winning performance from McAnulty) whose
hedonistic enthusiasm for life keeps him on the move.
But when his wife suddenly dies, Joe finds himself having to run the house
and is forced to reconnect with his son. That's not the half of it though - as
his teenage son Harry (McKay) from his previous marriage is heading over from
the UK to stay.
Suddenly Joe is facing responsibilities and emotions he'd long thought buried
and forgotten&
Based on the memoir by Simon Carr, The Boys Are Back is a sensitive look at a
father's relationship with his sons, brilliantly handled by director Scott Hicks
(who did Shine) and masterfully performed by McAnulty and Owen.
In fact, it's probably fair to say that it's Clive Owen's charisma which
keeps the film from miring itself in schmaltz - the story's rooted firmly in
reality and his easy going charm on the screen shows why he's probably one of
our more underrated actors.
Joe's lack of rules in the house clearly is destined to lead to problems and
it inevitably does lead to things falling apart - but all the way through their
troubles, there's an unspoken and permanently obvious love between the father
and his sons which makes the film plausible and their relationship
believable.
There's a nice chemistry between Owen and his costar Emma Booth who stars as
single mum Laura - their arc doesn't follow the normal route and you'll be glad
it didn't fall into cliché. And there's a dose of reality when Joe's wife
suddenly falls ill which may make you re-appraise the relationships in your
life.
The good thing about The Boys Are Back is that it avoids the trapping of
usual films like this - not once does director Scott Hicks milk any emotional
moment on screen - he uses a subtlety that makes the drama feel more intimate
and real.
With its low key warmth and heart, as well as heartbreak, I think it's fair
to say that you'll be hard pushed to find a more poignant film about the
complicated relationship between a father and his son. Clive Owen shines and is
a joy to watch - every one of us can recognize some element of family life
(single parent or otherwise) in his portrayal of a man coming to terms with his
place in the world.
Thursday, 18 March 2010
Green Zone: Movie Review
Green Zone: Movie Review
Green Zone
Rating: 7/10
Cast: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan, Jason Isaacs
Director: Paul Greengrass
The team behind the successful run of Bourne movies have reunited for this thriller set in Iraq after the 2003 war.
Matt Damon is Captain Roy Miller, who's in charge of the hunt for WMDs - but every lead they're following turns out to be a dud; each time they're sent in, there's absolutely no trace of anything.
So with suspicions aroused over duff intelligence, Miller starts to follow his own leads - and finds himself slap bang in the middle of a major conspiracy.
But the situation begins to spiral out of control as Miller fails to realise how serious and widespread the conspiracy is.
Matt Damon continues to push his image as the dependably stoic and intelligent everyman that has seen him become a big screen success; Green Zone itself is a conspiracy thriller which takes a little while to unravel but if you have your wits about you, you can see where it's going - and how it will end.
Greg Kinnear and Brendan Gleeson provide good support as opposing factions of the conflict - although, I'd rather director Greengrass had eased up a little on the whole WMD issue; it still feels like there's a lot of anger to be worked through over whether there actually were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq - and unfortunately towards the end of the film this becomes a major issue and nearly threatens to derail the tension which has been built up.
Green Zone is not a bad film - it does exactly what you'd expect and along with its jerky camera movements, there are some wonderfully taut and tense times as Miller finds himself out of his depth; throw in some great recreations of the post war Iraqi world and some very impressive chase scenes (including a final act edge of the seat chase) and you've got a good solid thriller.
Green Zone
Rating: 7/10
Cast: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan, Jason Isaacs
Director: Paul Greengrass
The team behind the successful run of Bourne movies have reunited for this thriller set in Iraq after the 2003 war.
Matt Damon is Captain Roy Miller, who's in charge of the hunt for WMDs - but every lead they're following turns out to be a dud; each time they're sent in, there's absolutely no trace of anything.
So with suspicions aroused over duff intelligence, Miller starts to follow his own leads - and finds himself slap bang in the middle of a major conspiracy.
But the situation begins to spiral out of control as Miller fails to realise how serious and widespread the conspiracy is.
Matt Damon continues to push his image as the dependably stoic and intelligent everyman that has seen him become a big screen success; Green Zone itself is a conspiracy thriller which takes a little while to unravel but if you have your wits about you, you can see where it's going - and how it will end.
Greg Kinnear and Brendan Gleeson provide good support as opposing factions of the conflict - although, I'd rather director Greengrass had eased up a little on the whole WMD issue; it still feels like there's a lot of anger to be worked through over whether there actually were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq - and unfortunately towards the end of the film this becomes a major issue and nearly threatens to derail the tension which has been built up.
Green Zone is not a bad film - it does exactly what you'd expect and along with its jerky camera movements, there are some wonderfully taut and tense times as Miller finds himself out of his depth; throw in some great recreations of the post war Iraqi world and some very impressive chase scenes (including a final act edge of the seat chase) and you've got a good solid thriller.
The Road: Movie Review
The Road: Movie Review
Rating 8/10
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Robert DuVall, Guy Pearce, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Director: John Hillcoat
Prepare yourself for a particularly depressing end of the world.
In the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, a father (Mortensen) and his son (Smit-McPhee) are journeying across America after the world ended in some unknown way.(Though it appears to have been nuclear)
As they head south at the urging of the father's wife (Charlize Theron) and search for food, shelter and fuel, the duo meet all manner of problems - thieves, cannibals, and worst of all, their own paranoia and fears.
Against a backdrop of a devastated planet, survivors who are reduced to horrendous scavenging ways to get by and an ever increasing cold front, the duo find themselves unable to escape the inexorable physical and mental horrors which surround them.
To describe The Road as compellingly bleak may seem a little odd - but when you have a film which finds the worst that men can do and has a protagonist who would rather shoot his only son to avoid him being eaten alive, it's clearly not a laugh riot.
What emerges over the course of two hours is a powerfully loaded discussion and contemplation on what it means to be human and how the last vestiges of humanity are gradually worn down as time wears on.
Through billowing skies thick with smoke, and with most of the "action" onscreen taking place amid the backdrop of grey colours, the pair soldier on - and as an audience, you may feel at times like you do.
It's frustrating to report there is no real explanation of what happened to end the world as it did (although it does lead to a lot of discussion once the lights go up) - and while that's fine for a film (after all, we don't need everything spelt out), a little context would have made the sacrifice of one character more poignant rather than feeling odd and unexplainable.
There's a mournful tone throughout and both Mortensen and Smit-McPhee carry the screen well; newcomer Smit-McPhee brings a resonance and humanity to his character - and Mortensen is perfectly cast as the man who's coerced into making some awful decisions and loses a lot of his soul as he tries to survive.
Granted, there are some brooding lines throughout - Robert Duvall's old man character says talk of suicide to survive is "foolish to ask for luxuries at times such as this" - but the meditations on who's good and who's bad when everything goes to hell in a handcart will haunt you for hours after you leave.
Rating 8/10
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Robert DuVall, Guy Pearce, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Director: John Hillcoat
Prepare yourself for a particularly depressing end of the world.
In the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, a father (Mortensen) and his son (Smit-McPhee) are journeying across America after the world ended in some unknown way.(Though it appears to have been nuclear)
As they head south at the urging of the father's wife (Charlize Theron) and search for food, shelter and fuel, the duo meet all manner of problems - thieves, cannibals, and worst of all, their own paranoia and fears.
Against a backdrop of a devastated planet, survivors who are reduced to horrendous scavenging ways to get by and an ever increasing cold front, the duo find themselves unable to escape the inexorable physical and mental horrors which surround them.
To describe The Road as compellingly bleak may seem a little odd - but when you have a film which finds the worst that men can do and has a protagonist who would rather shoot his only son to avoid him being eaten alive, it's clearly not a laugh riot.
What emerges over the course of two hours is a powerfully loaded discussion and contemplation on what it means to be human and how the last vestiges of humanity are gradually worn down as time wears on.
Through billowing skies thick with smoke, and with most of the "action" onscreen taking place amid the backdrop of grey colours, the pair soldier on - and as an audience, you may feel at times like you do.
It's frustrating to report there is no real explanation of what happened to end the world as it did (although it does lead to a lot of discussion once the lights go up) - and while that's fine for a film (after all, we don't need everything spelt out), a little context would have made the sacrifice of one character more poignant rather than feeling odd and unexplainable.
There's a mournful tone throughout and both Mortensen and Smit-McPhee carry the screen well; newcomer Smit-McPhee brings a resonance and humanity to his character - and Mortensen is perfectly cast as the man who's coerced into making some awful decisions and loses a lot of his soul as he tries to survive.
Granted, there are some brooding lines throughout - Robert Duvall's old man character says talk of suicide to survive is "foolish to ask for luxuries at times such as this" - but the meditations on who's good and who's bad when everything goes to hell in a handcart will haunt you for hours after you leave.
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Mao's Last Dancer: Movie Review
Mao's Last Dancer: Movie Review
Rating: 5/10
Cast: Chi Cao, Bruce Greenwood, Kyle McLachlan, Joan Chen
Director: Bruce Beresford
Based on a memoir by Li Cunxin, Mao's Last Dancer is set in 1970s America and is the true story of Cunxin's journey from the poverty of China to the opulence of the West - via stardom.
Told in flashback and starting with Cunxin's youth, it shows the horrors of living under the Mao regime in China. Li's plucked from a poor school and thrust into a dance academy where he trains as an apprentice.
However, Li's also given the chance to go on tour - despite concerns from the communist leaders - and ends up in Houston. Initially he struggles with the creative - and personal - freedom on show but ends up accepting the lifestyle and becomes a star.
But things get complicated when Li decides he wants to stay in America - and the Chinese government foists exile on him when he makes the wrong decision (as far as they're concerned.)
Mao's Last Dancer is a perfectly fine - if slightly pedestrian - biopic; the ballet scenes are well done and showcase brilliantly the moves of Chi Cao.
Unfortunately though, it suffers from a couple of slightly ropey performances from its lead actor - he's not quite strong enough to pull off the role and at times, it seems a little amateur dramatics; clearly he was chosen for his incredible ballet skills rather than acting. Plus throw in some quite corny dialogue here and there, and it's not much of a recipe for success.
That said, Bruce Greenwood (as the director of the theatre company) and Kyle MacLachlan (as Li's attorney) are solid and provide decent support; but the real star of Beresford's film is his recreation of communist China in the 70s.
It's horrifying, repugnant and shows exactly why the regime was so detested - and thanks to Beresford's restraint in not exploiting it, it feels real. In one of Li's nightmares, he sees his family paraded and shot - it's so wonderfully underplayed and evocative that it's an image which resonates long after the film's over.
Ultimately Mao's Last Dancer aims for inspirational and sadly falls a little short - while it's a well intentioned true story, it doesn't soar as much on the screen as perhaps it should have done.
Rating: 5/10
Cast: Chi Cao, Bruce Greenwood, Kyle McLachlan, Joan Chen
Director: Bruce Beresford
Based on a memoir by Li Cunxin, Mao's Last Dancer is set in 1970s America and is the true story of Cunxin's journey from the poverty of China to the opulence of the West - via stardom.
Told in flashback and starting with Cunxin's youth, it shows the horrors of living under the Mao regime in China. Li's plucked from a poor school and thrust into a dance academy where he trains as an apprentice.
However, Li's also given the chance to go on tour - despite concerns from the communist leaders - and ends up in Houston. Initially he struggles with the creative - and personal - freedom on show but ends up accepting the lifestyle and becomes a star.
But things get complicated when Li decides he wants to stay in America - and the Chinese government foists exile on him when he makes the wrong decision (as far as they're concerned.)
Mao's Last Dancer is a perfectly fine - if slightly pedestrian - biopic; the ballet scenes are well done and showcase brilliantly the moves of Chi Cao.
Unfortunately though, it suffers from a couple of slightly ropey performances from its lead actor - he's not quite strong enough to pull off the role and at times, it seems a little amateur dramatics; clearly he was chosen for his incredible ballet skills rather than acting. Plus throw in some quite corny dialogue here and there, and it's not much of a recipe for success.
That said, Bruce Greenwood (as the director of the theatre company) and Kyle MacLachlan (as Li's attorney) are solid and provide decent support; but the real star of Beresford's film is his recreation of communist China in the 70s.
It's horrifying, repugnant and shows exactly why the regime was so detested - and thanks to Beresford's restraint in not exploiting it, it feels real. In one of Li's nightmares, he sees his family paraded and shot - it's so wonderfully underplayed and evocative that it's an image which resonates long after the film's over.
Ultimately Mao's Last Dancer aims for inspirational and sadly falls a little short - while it's a well intentioned true story, it doesn't soar as much on the screen as perhaps it should have done.
Remember Me: Movie Review
Remember Me: Movie Review
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Pierce Brosnan, Lena Olin, Chris Cooper
Director: Allen Coulter
Ladies, catch your breath - in between his time sparkling as a vampire, R Patz returns to the screen in this romantic drama.
He's Tyler, a rebellious student in New York in 2001, who's got a strained relationship with his lawyer dad (an aloof and emotionally hard Pierce Brosnan) ever since his brother committed suicide.
Tyler is a bit of a closed book drifter, a one night stands kind of guy who won't emotionally open up - but that all changes when a twist of fate brings him to Ally (Lost's Emilie de Ravin).
Ally too is emotionally damaged - having seen her mom murdered on the subway when she was 11, she isn't initially too keen to let Tyler into her life.
But the pair's paths are intertwined and fate has a way of playing these things out.
Both Pattinson and de Ravin are perfectly cast in Remember Me, an aching, yearning film about love - there's broodiness aplenty and inevitable family dramas and a sprinkling of The Taming of The Shrew - but what Remember Me does have is a way of subverting your expectations.
Sure it's a clichéd relationship - Ally's dad, a cop (the ever wonderful Chris Cooper) isn't impressed and Tyler's dad is emotionally stunted from the rest of the family - but it's the central performances from de Ravin and Pattinson which give this film flight and takes it away from your usual brooding young love and aching hearts kind of film.
Granted there are familiar familial patterns playing out here - the family drama on all sides is nothing new and there's more than a few predictable moments as the end approaches.
Some will argue Pattinson's just putting in another brooding performance a la Edward Cullen (ie slightly aloof) but that's unfair to RPatz - whose restrained screen presence gradually unpeels and reveals several layers. It's clear he's destined for a shelf life beyond the ole vamp, and thanks to de Ravin's emotionally rich performance, the pair sizzle on screen.
But it's the rich ending of Remember Me which emotionally shocks you by knocking the wind out of your cinematic sails - it's unexpected, powerful and may well leave you agog. (But you won't find me discussing it here).
Remember Me is an intriguing relationship drama which will have RPatz's fans both drooling and more in love with him than ever before - but its ending will polarise the audience; however sometimes, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Rating: 8/10
Cast: Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Pierce Brosnan, Lena Olin, Chris Cooper
Director: Allen Coulter
Ladies, catch your breath - in between his time sparkling as a vampire, R Patz returns to the screen in this romantic drama.
He's Tyler, a rebellious student in New York in 2001, who's got a strained relationship with his lawyer dad (an aloof and emotionally hard Pierce Brosnan) ever since his brother committed suicide.
Tyler is a bit of a closed book drifter, a one night stands kind of guy who won't emotionally open up - but that all changes when a twist of fate brings him to Ally (Lost's Emilie de Ravin).
Ally too is emotionally damaged - having seen her mom murdered on the subway when she was 11, she isn't initially too keen to let Tyler into her life.
But the pair's paths are intertwined and fate has a way of playing these things out.
Both Pattinson and de Ravin are perfectly cast in Remember Me, an aching, yearning film about love - there's broodiness aplenty and inevitable family dramas and a sprinkling of The Taming of The Shrew - but what Remember Me does have is a way of subverting your expectations.
Sure it's a clichéd relationship - Ally's dad, a cop (the ever wonderful Chris Cooper) isn't impressed and Tyler's dad is emotionally stunted from the rest of the family - but it's the central performances from de Ravin and Pattinson which give this film flight and takes it away from your usual brooding young love and aching hearts kind of film.
Granted there are familiar familial patterns playing out here - the family drama on all sides is nothing new and there's more than a few predictable moments as the end approaches.
Some will argue Pattinson's just putting in another brooding performance a la Edward Cullen (ie slightly aloof) but that's unfair to RPatz - whose restrained screen presence gradually unpeels and reveals several layers. It's clear he's destined for a shelf life beyond the ole vamp, and thanks to de Ravin's emotionally rich performance, the pair sizzle on screen.
But it's the rich ending of Remember Me which emotionally shocks you by knocking the wind out of your cinematic sails - it's unexpected, powerful and may well leave you agog. (But you won't find me discussing it here).
Remember Me is an intriguing relationship drama which will have RPatz's fans both drooling and more in love with him than ever before - but its ending will polarise the audience; however sometimes, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
This Way Of Life: Movie Review
This Way Of Life: Movie Review
Rating: 8/10
Cast: The Karena Family, The great NZ outdoors, horses
Director: Tom Burstyn
A New Zealand doco about a family who live life to the full in the wilds of the countryside may not sound like a riveting watch but This Way of Life sure as hell is.
It's the story of the Karena family - husband Peter and wife Colleen and their six children, and their horses.
But it's also about more than that - it's about a simplicity of life and a recognition of one's place in the world.
Peter works as a horse whisperer and lives off the land - when we first meet him, he's skinning a deer in front of his son Malachi and educating him on how the animal died so they can live.
Although Peter appears to have a philosophy about the world, it's clear not everyone shares his views - within moments of meeting them, we learn that Peter's father is evicting them from the family home because he's selling up. Things get worse for the ever growing Karena family - but over the course of 85 minutes you won't find your spirit crushed at all.
In fact it's just the opposite.
Simply shot and presented in a restrained way, This Way Of Life will stun you with its subtlety, honesty and heart.
As Peter continues to face problems, it's his philosophy and attitude which he's trying to instill in his children which will shine out - Peter's a glass half full kind of guy - and while he's honest about the issues he faces with his father, there's never any doubt that he won't let adversity crush both him and his loved ones. It's hard not to look upto Peter and learn from him - clearly this is a man whose life attitude is beneficial and infectious to all those around him.
And the kids clearly soar because of this attitude - I've never seen such a brood of children so happy in their simple life; there's no sign of any mod cons and yet there's not one single complaint as these kids are overjoyed by the simplicity of nature (either on horse back or jumping on the roof of their truck)
It's the Karena family way - the respect for nature, the chance to live off the land and the lack of fear which will inspire you - whether it's living in a shed after the house is burned down or bareback horse riding without helmets, you can't help but admire their way of life (and even eye it up a little jealously).
This Way Of Life is a celebration of the family codes and morals; beautifully shot, it shows what's great about the New Zealand countryside and showcases a side of life - and an attitude - which makes your heart sing.
While some of the story's narrative leaves you wanting more information and you may get a little frustrated with a lack of context over family rows, overall it's easy to see why the film has been so lauded abroad in Berlin and deserves to do well over here.
However - you may get a little jealous and be tempted to quit the rat race after seeing the simpler life the Karenas live..
Rating: 8/10
Cast: The Karena Family, The great NZ outdoors, horses
Director: Tom Burstyn
A New Zealand doco about a family who live life to the full in the wilds of the countryside may not sound like a riveting watch but This Way of Life sure as hell is.
It's the story of the Karena family - husband Peter and wife Colleen and their six children, and their horses.
But it's also about more than that - it's about a simplicity of life and a recognition of one's place in the world.
Peter works as a horse whisperer and lives off the land - when we first meet him, he's skinning a deer in front of his son Malachi and educating him on how the animal died so they can live.
Although Peter appears to have a philosophy about the world, it's clear not everyone shares his views - within moments of meeting them, we learn that Peter's father is evicting them from the family home because he's selling up. Things get worse for the ever growing Karena family - but over the course of 85 minutes you won't find your spirit crushed at all.
In fact it's just the opposite.
Simply shot and presented in a restrained way, This Way Of Life will stun you with its subtlety, honesty and heart.
As Peter continues to face problems, it's his philosophy and attitude which he's trying to instill in his children which will shine out - Peter's a glass half full kind of guy - and while he's honest about the issues he faces with his father, there's never any doubt that he won't let adversity crush both him and his loved ones. It's hard not to look upto Peter and learn from him - clearly this is a man whose life attitude is beneficial and infectious to all those around him.
And the kids clearly soar because of this attitude - I've never seen such a brood of children so happy in their simple life; there's no sign of any mod cons and yet there's not one single complaint as these kids are overjoyed by the simplicity of nature (either on horse back or jumping on the roof of their truck)
It's the Karena family way - the respect for nature, the chance to live off the land and the lack of fear which will inspire you - whether it's living in a shed after the house is burned down or bareback horse riding without helmets, you can't help but admire their way of life (and even eye it up a little jealously).
This Way Of Life is a celebration of the family codes and morals; beautifully shot, it shows what's great about the New Zealand countryside and showcases a side of life - and an attitude - which makes your heart sing.
While some of the story's narrative leaves you wanting more information and you may get a little frustrated with a lack of context over family rows, overall it's easy to see why the film has been so lauded abroad in Berlin and deserves to do well over here.
However - you may get a little jealous and be tempted to quit the rat race after seeing the simpler life the Karenas live..
Thursday, 4 March 2010
The Hurt Locker: Movie Review
The Hurt Locker: Movie Review
Rating: 9/10
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Finally arriving on New Zealand shores after numerous successes at various awards ceremonies, is The Hurt Locker, the front runner for success at the 2010 Oscars.
It's the story of a team of bomb disposal team in Iraq whose lives are put in constant jeopardy on a daily basis - and is based on freelance journalist Mark Boal's accounts of when he was embedded with an American bomb squad.
In a cracking turn, Jeremy Renner plays Sergeant First Class William James, who's brought in as the leader of the Explosives Ordnance Disposal Unit which heads to just about every perilous situation on the streets of Iraq, never knowing if this is the moment their lives will be forfeit.
James works with Anthony Mackie's Sergeant Sanborn and Brian Geraghty's Specialist Eldridge - and they form an uneasy bond, often fighting off the scene and cool and collected when called out; however, it's not plain sailing for the trio when it becomes clear that James isn't averse to taking risks and avoiding protocol.
But what will be the price of his behaviour to the EOD unit?
The Hurt Locker arrives with heavy expectation - and doesn't disappoint in the slightest. From the moment the film opens, you're thrown straight into the middle of it all. Within seconds, The Hurt Locker grips you in its adrenalin vice and doesn't let go.
Director Kathryn Bigelow's crafted an excellent low budget film which captures the grittiness, the horror and the heart in your mouth moment that the troops in Iraq must face; sure, you can argue that the entire film is simply made up of one set piece after another as we follow the EOD unit, but there is a narrative thread which links it together.
Where The Hurt Locker also triumphs - aside from Renner's simply mesmerising turn as Sergeant James - is the fact the leads are unknowns; a film such as this one rises and falls on expectations and the use of relative newcomers to the lead roles means you're never quite sure who will survive when they head to each call out. At times, it's heart in your mouth cinema which will blow you away in more ways than one (apologies - pun intended).
Emotionally gripping, viscerally thrilling, and an edge of your seat powderkeg of tension, The Hurt Locker remains one of the best films of the year (something which the number of awards it's received only serves to cement). Packed full of moments that will shock and awe you, The Hurt Locker is essential viewing.
Rating: 9/10
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Finally arriving on New Zealand shores after numerous successes at various awards ceremonies, is The Hurt Locker, the front runner for success at the 2010 Oscars.
It's the story of a team of bomb disposal team in Iraq whose lives are put in constant jeopardy on a daily basis - and is based on freelance journalist Mark Boal's accounts of when he was embedded with an American bomb squad.
In a cracking turn, Jeremy Renner plays Sergeant First Class William James, who's brought in as the leader of the Explosives Ordnance Disposal Unit which heads to just about every perilous situation on the streets of Iraq, never knowing if this is the moment their lives will be forfeit.
James works with Anthony Mackie's Sergeant Sanborn and Brian Geraghty's Specialist Eldridge - and they form an uneasy bond, often fighting off the scene and cool and collected when called out; however, it's not plain sailing for the trio when it becomes clear that James isn't averse to taking risks and avoiding protocol.
But what will be the price of his behaviour to the EOD unit?
The Hurt Locker arrives with heavy expectation - and doesn't disappoint in the slightest. From the moment the film opens, you're thrown straight into the middle of it all. Within seconds, The Hurt Locker grips you in its adrenalin vice and doesn't let go.
Director Kathryn Bigelow's crafted an excellent low budget film which captures the grittiness, the horror and the heart in your mouth moment that the troops in Iraq must face; sure, you can argue that the entire film is simply made up of one set piece after another as we follow the EOD unit, but there is a narrative thread which links it together.
Where The Hurt Locker also triumphs - aside from Renner's simply mesmerising turn as Sergeant James - is the fact the leads are unknowns; a film such as this one rises and falls on expectations and the use of relative newcomers to the lead roles means you're never quite sure who will survive when they head to each call out. At times, it's heart in your mouth cinema which will blow you away in more ways than one (apologies - pun intended).
Emotionally gripping, viscerally thrilling, and an edge of your seat powderkeg of tension, The Hurt Locker remains one of the best films of the year (something which the number of awards it's received only serves to cement). Packed full of moments that will shock and awe you, The Hurt Locker is essential viewing.
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