7.7 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Find a bomb, defuse it. Find a bomb, defuse it. The job is simple enough, but the room for error is zero. Fail to defuse it, and die. This is the daily work of the United States Army's Bravo Company. They patrol Baghdad during one of the Iraq war's most hellish times, trying each day not to get blown up. James joins a tightly knit bomb-disposal unit where Sanborn is already the intelligence expert. James, by contrast, is a real cowboy. Even in the hulking shell of his bomb suit, his swagger is obvious. He has successfully disabled 873 devices, approaching the job with the no-nonsense grit of a Bigelow hero—and the recklessness too. But as the unit faces tougher challenges with each new bomb, the men start to fight James's bullish methods. They have only thirty-eight days left in their rotation. They want to live to see day thirty-nine.
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce, Ralph FiennesThriller | 100% |
Action | 97% |
Drama | 70% |
War | 59% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
You are now in the kill zone.
Since film became a mainstream and commercialized medium for both entertainment and social
commentary, military conflicts have been staples of the Hollywood landscape, a crop of pictures
popping up after -- and sometimes before -- the cessation of hostilities between belligerents.
Post-World War II Hollywood saw fit to churn out dozens of War pictures that were nothing like
those that would come decades later. Often far too clean, spit and polished, and distancing
themselves from the realities of war, even the most splendidly-realized and popular of them all --
pictures like The Longest Day and
Patton -- didn't
necessarily shy away from the truth but they didn't truly capture the essence of war and all its
horrors, and considering the toll the war had taken on the United States and, indeed, the world
at
large, it's no surprise that a little fudging of the truth and bending of realities in favor of feel-good
filmmaking dominated the cinematic landscape. The post-Vietnam era saw filmmakers eschew
this approach, and while the level of visible violence increased, the best pictures and many of
them Oscar-winning films -- Platoon, Apocalypse Now, The Deer Hunter,
and Full Metal Jacket --
chose not to focus on the physical realities of War but instead the emotional toll exacted on the
human soul and psyche. The modern era -- rather than focusing predominantly on the Middle
Eastern conflicts that have defined U.S. foreign and military policy over the past two decades --
has seen filmmakers re-visit the wars of old with an edgier and far more brutally realistic tone,
with pictures
like Saving Private Ryan and We Were Soldiers
being prime examples. Director Kathryn Bigelow's (Point Break) The
Hurt Locker instead portrays the here and now, the picture a fantastically crafted yet
incredibly grim
and
altogether terrifying glimpse into the daily grind and the physical, mental, and emotional
stability of a three-man ordinance demolition unit in Iraq circa 2004.
One of the many deadly concoctions encountered in Iraq.
The Hurt Locker's 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer is gritty, messy, and exactly as intended. The harsh visual appearance is reflective of modern-day War pictures, and the abundance of heavy film grain is both natural and welcome considering its purpose in both establishing a tone and reinforcing the film's thematic elements. Earth tones dominate the image; sand, dirt, building façades, and camouflaged uniforms all feature a distinct lack of popping primary colors. Indeed, viewers will be hard-pressed to find more than a hint of bright colors throughout, and this 1080p transfer handles the picture's drab visual tone to perfection. Fine detail is exceptional even through the dense grain structure; low-to-the-ground shots reveal every nuanced spec of sand, dirt, rock, and other random debris that's resultant of a war-torn city. Additionally, intact walls reveal a rough, palpable texturing, and military uniforms and clothing showcase fine stitching in up-close shots. Flesh tones are consistently accurate, and blacks are deep and true. This is the kind of material that's tailor-made for Blu-ray. It's neither flashy nor pretty, but the format's ability to retain the filmmakers' intended visual style, particularly one this grainy and harsh, allows The Hurt Locker to stand as a reference-quality disc for this sort of film.
The Hurt Locker features a dazzling reference-standard DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The track's most pronounced effects, of course, stem from military equipment and action scenes, but there's also a solid but subtle atmosphere that penetrates quieter scenes that round out a hearty and engaging listen. Still, the action-oriented sound effects prove to be show-stoppers, high-end system-sellers, and limit-pushing sonic marvels that stand among Blu-ray's finest audio offerings. Helicopters aggressively but naturally buzz around the soundstage and whirl with ease from one side to the other; fighter jets, too, scream through the listening area with amazing precision and thunderous but altogether crisp and natural power, the sonic boom lingering wonderfully even after the jet is long since gone from the center of the action. Gunshots sparkle, too, and The Hurt Locker offers a wide variety to enjoy. Singular shots from a Beretta 92 (military designation M9) ring out with startling, room-filling, and precise accuracy. The thump of automatic weapons fire pounds out from every corner of the soundstage on several occasions, and the barrage effectively places the listener in the midst of the firefights that bring with them an edge of terrifying fear into the body and mind with every expended cartridge. Additionally, the rat-a-tat thumping of a vehicle-mounted .50 caliber heavy machine gun delivers an awe-inspiring and chest-rattling thud with every shot. Explosions, too, are accompanied by an impressive low-end impact that sends shockwaves through the listening area. The cacophony of wartime sound effects represent The Hurt Locker's defining sonic signature, and it's all reproduced marvelously on Blu-ray. Rounded out by accurate dialogue reproduction, they just don't come much better than this.
Unfortunately, this Blu-ray release of The Hurt Locker contains only a small assortment of extras. First is an audio commentary with Director Kathryn Bigelow and Writer Mark Boal that speaks on the real-life stories that inspired the film, the unique aspects of the production, shooting in the Middle East, the performances of the cast and their preparation for their roles, the authenticity of the picture, the challenges of the shoot, and much more. The participants speak with a reserved, quiet tone but deliver a strong commentary that proves well worth a listen. The Hurt Locker: Behind the Scenes (1080i, 12:36) is a basic-in-structure but nevertheless worthwhile piece that features cast and crew speaking on the War itself, the structure and themes of the film, the work and style of Director Kathryn Bigelow, the characters' traits, the work of Cinematographer Barry Ackroyd, the authentic conditions that come with shooting in the Middle East, and more. Also included is an Image Gallery with an optional Q&A session recorded at the Institute of Contemporary Art in London (1080p, 23:30).
A relentlessly terrifying experience that's more than the sum of the shots fired or the bombs disarmed, Director Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker is a picture that's true to the horrors of War -- particularly the psychological anguish incurred even in place of physical harm -- and not the run-and-gun action normally associated with lesser-in-meaning War movies. With a strong cast; exceptional direction and cinematography; and a moving, often gut-wrenching thematic overtone that analyzes the fragility of the human condition through the prism of the uncertainty of war, The Hurt Locker sets a new standard for genre excellence and has solidified itself as a contemporary War movie classic. Summit's Blu-ray release delivers where it counts, exhibiting reference-grade video and audio presentations. A decent but ultimately underwhelming supplements package should not interfere with the decision to add this otherwise exceptional film and fantastic disc to any Blu-ray collection. The Hurt Locker comes highly recommended.
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