Review: `Hurt Locker' strongest Iraq war film yet

Despite their admirable intentions and acclaimed names on both sides of the camera, the vast majority of movies made about the Iraq war have failed to hit the mark. Either they felt too preachy, like "Rendition" and "In the Valley of Elah," or they were rather standard action pictures like "The Kingdom."

"The Hurt Locker" is by far the most effective film yet on this subject _ and what's ironic about that is, it doesn't even feel all that specific to the Iraq war. Its insights and reach extend far beyond what's happened there over the past several years.

The film follows the efforts of an elite U.S. Army bomb squad, whose members have 38 days left before they can leave Baghdad in the summer of 2004. They're under enormous pressure to avoid mistakes, because every time they're called out to investigate a suspected explosive device, the tiniest false move can mean not only their deaths but the deaths of untold numbers of people around them. At the same time, they're under their own internal stress to get the job done and get home.

Into this intense situation comes the swaggering Staff Sgt. William James (Jeremy Renner, a Spirit Award nominee for the performance earlier this year), who approaches each task with a healthy mix of artistry and bravado. The other members of his team (a charismatic Anthony Mackie and a shy Brian Geraghty) don't quite know what to make of him; James might be a genius at his job or he might be an egomaniacal showoff. Maybe he's a little bit of both. At one point, James rips off the helmet of his clunky "space suit" to inspect a possible car bomb, his reasoning being: "If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die comfortable."

The script from journalist Mark Boal, who spent time embedded with this kind of bomb squad, presents James as a fascinating but always believable jumble of contradictions. He's talented as hell but infuriating. He's clearly addicted to the rush of war but, in a more relatable sense, he has a passion for a job that defines and drives him. James also shows flashes of sensitivity here and there, which are disarming in their own way.

So at its core, "The Hurt Locker" is an unexpected character study, but through the eyes of veteran action director Kathryn Bigelow ("Point Break," "K-19: The Widowmaker"), it also offers an intimate look at gritty, visceral combat. Bigelow doesn't go for sweeping battle scenes or glossy, computer-generated explosions. She also avoids political stands on the war. Rather, she makes you feel the claustrophobia and anxiety of her characters' daily lives _ the heavy breathing inside their protective gear, the crunch of gravel beneath their boots _ as well as the aggressive way they blow off steam and the camaraderie they experience within their isolation. (The only small complaint: She might have trimmed a couple of scenes to make "The Hurt Locker" even leaner and meaner.)

Besides the main cast, excellent across the board, Bigelow gets strong work in a couple of tense cameos from Guy Pearce and Ralph Fiennes, and some rare levity from David Morse as a blowhard superior.

But perhaps the most surprising part of all: She ends on an uplifting note, though it may not be the kind you'd choose for yourself.

"The Hurt Locker," a Summit Entertainment release, is rated R for war violence and language. Running time: 130 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.

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Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions:

G _ General audiences. All ages admitted.

PG _ Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

PG-13 _ Special parental guidance strongly suggested for children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young children.

R _ Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

NC-17 _ No one under 17 admitted.