Film Analysis: The Hurt Locker

The rambunctious behavior of the soldier’s triumphant victory is a strong message visually for the viewer. These soldiers struggle to find their identity and once the war ends, the identity they’ve build at war vanishes, (McCutcheon, 2007). As a result, they essentially lose a part of them selves, (McCutcheon, 2007). When they return home, many soldiers struggle with psychological issues that prevent them from resuming their once regular lives, (McCutcheon, 2007). The images of soldiers celebrating at the end of war give the viewer a taste of this problem. This also allows the viewer insight to the deeper issues surrounding an American soldier’s mental stability and mentality. Through this image, along with many others throughout the film, the viewer is able to dig deeper and truly analyze what they are seeing.

Periods of conflict often conjure a variety of texts with contradictory representations of war to either propagandise involvement or highlight its traumatic effects. Dalton Trumbo’s novel, Johnny Got His Gun and Wilfred Owen’s poem, “Mental Cases” serve to illustrate the harsh realities of war and its ramifications which are generally excluded from more modern thrillers such as Pearl Harbour (2001). Often impacted by personal experiences or the cultural and societal views of the time, creators’ individual attitudes towards war are commonly reflected in their works through the deliberate implementation of various cinematic or literary techniques that aid in the communication of specific messages to the audience.

Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried” is based on what soldiers went through facing war, and what they carried physically as well as emotionally. All of this pressure from war can cause and has caused post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the soldiers. “PTSD is the development of a set of symptoms in the aftermath of psychologically distressing event—an event “outside the range of normal human experience.”” (Roberts 3). PTSD is a disorder that can happen to anyone, but many see it diagnosed in war veterans, from the effects of war. This disorder can ranges from outburst to solitude and can affect each person in a different way. Some symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder are re-experiencing or flashbacks,

War can destroy a man both in body and mind for the rest of his life. In “The Sniper,” Liam O’Flaherty suggests the horror of war not only by presenting its physical dangers, but also by showing its psychological effects. We are left to wonder which has the longer lasting effect—the visible physical scars or the ones on the inside?

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is known as a mental illness that is suffered commonly by many soldiers after the traumatizing events of war. Within the troubling illness, not only does it affect the mindset of the person dealing with the disorder, it also affects the family and friends of the person suffering. In the book “A Separate Peace” written by John Knowles, a character known as Elwin Lepellier suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Everyday, men and women enlist to serve their country. In serving their country these individuals provide a great service for us citizens and feel both proud and honored to do so. However, this honor comes with consequences often neglected by the public eye. These consequences often come in the form of PTSD, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and are on the rise in combat veterans, as well as, civilians who experience trauma and torture. In the movie, Brothers, the main character Sam, a combat veteran, experiences what many other veterans come home to: PTSD and attempts to navigate life with this disorder.

Whether stabbed by a sword or blown apart by an IED, soldiers will still feel pain, mothers will still cry and there will still be devastation. War affects all who encounter it differently, some go mad, others face life in a wheelchair or hospital bed, very few reap the rewards that are promised. Every age and place offer examples of such individual's, expressed in a multitude of ways. Two such examples from modern American literature and film are Joe Bonham and Charlie Anderson.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental condition that ails soldiers and civilians alike who have been unfortunate enough to endure terrifying life harrowing experiences. Those who experience this disorder are prone to pejorative flashbacks to the time of the incident that triggered the neurological disorder. Most soldiers are capable of withstanding the withering physiological strain of combat, however a growing portion of people exposed to the graphic belligerence of war are prone to PTSD. In the novel 1984, George Orwell writes on multiple occasions of graphic war depictions and human pain. Having served in the Spanish Civil War, Orwell was exposed to violent reactions long before PTSD was officially diagnosed or

Although The Hurt Locker details the emotional impacts of war on soldiers and occasionally breaks some male-role stereotypes, this does not necessarily make the film or the presentation of the characters feminist. The depiction of the soldiers generally holds true to standard male gender norms, even though the three main characters occasionally show emotion and weakness. For example, James’ friendship with Beckham, a boy who lingers around the base selling DVDs, is that of a father or older brother; James is upset when he believes that Beckham had been killed for use as a body bomb, and sneaks off base and into town to learn Beckham’s whereabouts. However, while showing that James is able to care for others, this role is still that of a protector.

The “Hurt Locker” by the filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow conveys several messages but I believe that the main message to the theme of the movie is presented at the very beginning of the film in the form of a quote. The quote that appears in the film states, “The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug.” This quote comes from the book ‘War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning,’ by Chris Hedges, a reporter for The New York Times. I believe this message is the main theme of this movie as depict through the character Sergeant First Class William James played by Jeremy Renner. The focus of this film established its ability to emulate the truth about the chaos and catastrophic events of not only war but also the addition to war. The dirty truth of this statement echoes throughout the movie. Most every scene communicated this one central message.

The untouchables is a movie based on the true events that occurred when the eighteenth amendment was passed. The eighteenth amendment established the prohibition of production, transport, and sale of alcohol. The Federal Agent Eliot Ness wants to stop Al Capone, who is the top of organized crime. It was a hard job for Eliot Ness because Al Capone with his money bought many policemen, politicians, and other important people, therefore Eliot Ness could trust anyone. Eliot Ness had to choose no more than twelve men to form his squad. The Untouchables were formed by Eliot Ness, and another nine men he picked, they were called the Untouchables because they never accepted any bribes. Al Capone One of Al Capone’s men offered Eliot Ness $2,000 to stop interfering with the organization and an additional $2,000 if he continued to cooperate. Eliot Ness’s plan was to make an impact in the income of the gangsters, so they couldn’t pay for protection. (Biography.com)

“The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug.” This quote is the first thing that flashes across the screen as viewers begin their journey into The Hurt Locker, a critically acclaimed war movie written by Mark Boal and directed by Kathryn Bigelow (Hurt). The quote was written by former New York Times war correspondent, Chris Hedges and it perfectly sets the stage for a story that depicts just how potent and addicting war can be (Corliss). The 2008 movie won six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Actor in a Leading Role (“Nominees & Winners”). The Hurt Locker is an exceptional movie that contains everything one would expect from an award-winning film:

Technically, the opening scene of Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker is unnecessary. The story doesn’t really start until Jeremy Renner’s Sgt. James first arrives ten minutes later. At that point, his adrenaline-based nature and his relationship with the men in his unit become the paramount focus of the film. However, for what Bigelow is doing, that opening scene is absolutely essential. For the viewer, this essentially extended TV teaser slams you into the action. Suddenly, you’re on the battlefield, with the men as they perform their highly dangerous job. It’s shot in a handheld style, making it feel as though you’re really there, participating and watching. This allows Bigelow to quickly establish the rapport these men have, and the

I chose The Hurt Locker mainly because it was the only film I recognized from the list of movies we could choose from. I also knew that it was action packed and very entertaining to watch the characters. The opening scene is the sequence I went with because of the large amount going on and it also sets the tone for the rest of the movie. The Hurt Locker takes place in Iraq a year after the war started. There are three main characters: Staff Sergeant James, Sergeant Sanborn, and Specialist Eldridge. All three are on an elite Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team working to make the city a safer place by dismantling improvised explosive devices (IEDs). With less than a month left before their duty is up, surviving their time in Iraq has become even more of a challenge with James as the new leader.

In the film “The Hurt Locker” directed by Kathryn Bigelow, the theme of “war is a drug” is shown throughout the film. The film is about a bomb squad tasked with disarming bombs planted roadside, in bundles and other more disturbing places in Iraq. However the film is really more focused on what happens in the minds of soldiers under the constant adrenaline rush of war. As I watched the movie I began to gain an understanding of the quote “The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug”. This quote was said by Chris Hedges an American journalist, activist and author.