Bluffing kfooz

"The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug." Chris Hedges

The Hurt Locker (2008)

Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow

Written by:  Marl Boal

Starring:      Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty

This is another successful Kathryn Bigelow / Marl Boal collaboration.

Kathryn Bigelow, the first female wining Oscar's Best Director, is capable of tackling masculine issues. War, brotherhood, passion and compassion of men, life and death. She is really good at building up tension and suspension. Some explosion scenes are beautifully shot. You can feel the adrenaline rush. Then, you would better understand why the protaginist James enjoys it.  

Speaking of a role of a lifetime, this is definitely THE role for Jeremy Renner.

Unlike "Zero Dark Thirty", this film gives us a rather comprehensive portrait of the protaginist. Sergeant William James, played by Jeremy Renner, is the leader of a Explosive Ordnance Disposal squad in Iraq. He first came to the screen like a pain in the ass. He is awesome in his job but he is reckless and overly self-reliant. We get to know him better with the film. In the end, I found him as an annoying but likable character. 

Speaking of a role of a lifetime, this is definitely THE role for Jeremy Renner. I know nothing of this guy before this film (not until recent that I found out he's in Pink's "Trouble" MV!). He looks tough and he's good at playing tough. However, James is a complex character and is emotionally unstable. I think Jeremy Renner pull if off and gave us an intense performance. To me, he is a charismatic actor and I'd love to see more of him in big films like these. 

Two memorable scenes that showcase brilliant direction and acting. One is the snipper scene. The tension reached way up to the sky. We can feel the nerves through the screen. I literally held my breaths during that scene. We also see a diffirent side of James. He cares about his teammates and do know how to be a leader if he has to. 

Another one is the very last supermarket scene. Man, we didn't one man can be this tormented with cereals, espeacilally not a tough military man. We understand his lost and frustration without a word said. 

This might be the lowest grossing Best Picture, but to me, it's one of the best Best Picture. 

P.S. Jeremy Renner's salary from IMDB: "The Hurt Locker" $65,000 --> "The Bourne Legacy" $5,000,000

Just wow.