Rating 15
Length 2h11
Release 28.08.2008
Director Kathryn Bigelow
About Sergeant William James is tasked with leading a bomb disposal team during the Iraq War. But his ideologies and reckless approach towards the job gives rise to conflicts with his subordinates.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Now TV
Trailer:
The Good
The film’s documentary style cinematography is such a brave choice. It feels like a nod to Third Cinema and allows the film to develop an intimate and raw presentation. What I do admire, is that while taking on the style of a documentary it does manage to establish itself as a work of fiction. It also manages to not feel like a propoganda film, like those made in the UK and US during WWII and Vietnam respectively.
The casting is on point. Not only in terms of our leads, but those lose too. From a Drew Barrymore moment early on, to a mid film rug pull… everyone is expendable and it keeps the audience on edge.
Jeremy Renner provides such a well rounded performance. The dangerous, maverick and the vulnerable father clash and compliment each other in a way other actors could never present with any authenticity. You knowing he shouldn’t be there, yet also knowing his skills are incredible means that your heart will be in your mouth for most of the action.
The Bad
There are few parts I struggled to follow. I think the British representatives were mercenaries rather than military. If that’s the case, were they on the same side? The British also seem to just disappear and leave the US team pinned down and in danger. Would that happen?
By extension, would a military team be as small as three men as it is shown here? I accept that they’re specialist, however for the very reason of the lack of teamwork and shift in working relationships, I would imagine a team would be much bigger and working on rotation to support the much bigger platoons?!
I think I would have benefitted from a little hand holding here. What would normally take place in the “redeployment” scene that does not take place is where I would gain most of this information but I do wish the film had taken the time to redistribute and provide context for those of us without a working knowledge of military life.
The Ugly
This film, intentional or not, shows the damage of warfare on soldiers and what I see as poor management decisions that are taken without consideration of consequence. It’s the most horrific part of the story; the team became as volatile as any of the explosives they attempt to neutralise and you have at least two members who are not in a mentally stable condition to be in that environment.
We don’t see the decisions being made, we don’t get the scene in which Jason is given his orders by a man behind a desk but their presence is heavy and it’s heartbreaking to know that those men should not have been in such high stress situations together without knowing how they would work together as team, or even whether they could trust each other. You also have a soldier who should have been sent home long before we meet him, if he should have been enrolled in the first place. These bad management decisions go on in all walks of life; bad leaders promoted, good workers overlooked. However seeing it present in a film based on real events and knowing the choices impact the body count? It leaves a shocking knot in your stomach long after the film has finished and the credits have rolled.
Final Thoughts
Certainly not an entertaining watch, and it will not leave you with the warm and fuzzies. However it is a raw, gut wrenching and captivating look at war without the traditional element of propaganda.
The Queens of Geekdom 