My first Kathryn Bigelow film.

“The Hurt Locker” is a fascinating and unusual war film that follows the daily life of an elite US Army bomb squad unit during the Iraq war. Without glorifying war, the film explores the psychology of career soldiers and their responses to the stress and horrors of combat. The movie doesn´t have a clear main plotline but consists of several more or less distinct events that take place during the unit´s last days in Iraq. The authentic, documentary-like camerawork and direction create an immersive and immensely tense atmosphere. There are many highly suspenseful moments, my highlight being the ambush scene. Other strengths of the film include a fantastic sound design, great settings, and strong acting performances. To be honest, I found Jeremy Renner´s character a bit cliché, but Renner makes it work.

All in all, “The Hurt Locker” is an exciting, thought-provoking, and emotionally draining war movie that clearly shows Bigelow´s talent as a director. I will definitely explore more of her filmography.