The Hurt Locker
Out of context: Reply #37
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- Khurram0
^ It is a compelling character study. I'm never quite sure what to make of him. For one, he's not an adrenalin junky. He does his job so "matter of factly", without bravado. For two, he IS emotionally effected by it, disturbed and saddened, i.e. the little boy bomb, and the d00d from whom he cannot remove the suicide belt and he screams "i'm sorry!" and runs. It's not like he's a cold-hearted machine.
I think here, without getting too all Newsnight Review about it, you have to reflect on what sort of personality would actually do this kind of job. Cos IED's and suicide bombs etc, is all we really hear about the Iraq war, and thats was the overriding experience of the war in Iraq (not so much in Afghanistan). And i found it compelling to have to journey through THAT experience through the eyes/mind of a guy like him. And be all like "yeah, i've done 863 bombs, it's mundane and routine," like you're numb. But then it's like "holy fuck! This is insanity!"
I think the clear parallel is the bomb disposal guy at the beginning, who gets wasted. He's cautious. He's wary. He' "by-the-book" professional. And ultimately, it's meaningless. He's dead anyway. And then you're taken on this journey with the character whose all let "well fuck it, we're all gonna die anyway." And i felt like emotionally giving in to him and his "way" and at the same time, "no wait! self-preservation!"
And the ending is fantastic.Cos it is the real rhythm of the lives of these soldiers. They do go on rotation. And when you're job is like that - how the hell can you cope with the emotional/psychological stress of knowing that, however great and "all american" you're typical family life is, - tomorrow you're going back to it. 365 days till the next rotation. What sort of person would you have to be to take THAT in your stride? And you'd have to be like him. You can't get attached to your life.
Living on the edge yo. Furreal