Planet NAGA

One of the movie genres I truly enjoy are war films. Schindler's List started it for me then it was on to Band of Brothers, Windtalkers, the cheesy Pearl Harbor, We Were Soldiers, Courage under Fire and several notables trying to piece together any human interest story in the backdrop of a war laced setting.

As I have said before, watching a movie with zero pre-conceived knowledge is a plus. The Hurt Locker has the distinct feature for me. Another plus is that this is the first modern day film which effectively paints a picture of what the new war is about.

The thing about modern war movies is that it loses the cheap thrill of hand to hand combat, it has lesser avenues for tactical assaults, and features less and less of the camaraderie of the men in war. Most of the time it is a show of technological force. The biggest missiles, the largest tanks, the longest guns on display are front and center in a modern day war.

While what I said ahead is true, in this movie, the uniformed men are front and center. In fact the movie borders on the psychological aspect of what a man in war goes through. The opening lines say it best, "The rush of battle is a potent and often lethal addiction, for war is a drug."

The protagonist while not typically your male chiseled hero comes in the form of Sgt. Williams James, a replacement bomb disposal expert. At first, he may come off as an aloof, distant, quiet hero and you may mistake him as the antagonist causing friction in the group. As the story unfolds, the viewer will be amazed at how he relishes at the role, showing unpredictability, inner strength, similar to a bomb that can explode at any time. This is best showcased in one scene when all civilians are evacuated yet he chooses to disarm the bomb at the cost of endangering his and his crew's life. Apart from this, Sgt. James favorite past time is to drink brandy and engage in a who hits the hardest games with his oft perplexed team members.

Overall it is refreshing to watch a movie that takes on how the thrill of war like a drug can keep men hooked. Even with the impending dangers, they keep coming back to the battlefield like moths to a flame. This movie ranks up there with the best of 2009.

Author: Kidding Aside    Source: Click HERE    42 Views General