OT - The Hurt Locker

[Raellus]

IMO, the film is highly overated. I could understand a best actor Oscar, or best original screenplay (barely), but best picture Nuh-uh.

There are a couple of really good bits, but a lot of it is overdone. As a character study, I think it falls short. The protagonist is a mysterious figure and remains so until the end of the film. You don't really ever get to know him very well and you learn next to nothing about his supporting crew. I think Eddie summed it up really well.

SPOILER AHEAD:

The bit at the end where they take off after the bomber and one of the trio gets captured... pure Hollywood. And I don't mean that as a compliment. The bit with the British PMCs was suspenseful but not very realistic.

[Darksheer]

in all honesty the movie was pure fantasy
90% of the stuff the main char did would have gotten him thrown in jail and discharged, not to mention he probably would have been beaten senceless for putting his team at risk for his stupidity.

I found the film entertaining and good for laughs but dont for a second think it was any way realistic

my 2 cents

PS i have worked with EOD alot in my career and they are nothing like this bunch

[Fusilier]

in all honesty the movie was pure fantasy

Of course.

Movies =/= real life

Just saying...

[Eddie]

Of course.

Movies =/= real life

Just saying...

But some strive for more realism and accuracy than others.

Just saying...

[Fusilier]

But some strive for more realism and accuracy than others.

Just saying...

I just mean it kind of ties in with the other thread - about people having trouble accepting the game vs realism and accuracy. In both cases I just think you need to remind yourself that the entertainment models the real world - not define it.

[Mahatatain]

Sorry, dredging an old thread up from the past as I've just gotten round to watching this film!

As others have mentioned the scene with the British PMCs also struck me as a little odd. The sniper who shot several of the PMCs seemed to then cease fire for quite a long time while the US soldiers cleaned up the rounds for the Barrett. There was a significant amount of time where one or two soldiers were visible to the sniper (he had just killed Ralph Fiennes character in the same position) but he didn't fire for some reason - even having him firing and missing would have made more sense to me.

Another thing that struck me as odd was how on their own the EOD team were driving around Bagdad. Do US EOD teams actually drive around on their own Three men in a single vehicle seemed very exposed to me so I wondered whether it was actually realistic or not!

[Sanjuro]

There was a significant amount of time where one or two soldiers were visible to the sniper (he had just killed Ralph Fiennes character in the same position) but he didn't fire for some reason

Perhaps he relocated after the successful shot

[Cdnwolf]

Another thing that struck me as wrong was most of the IED were remote controlled and the guy holding the remote is just going to sit there and watch as the guy tries to disarm his bomb. I would be pushing the button the moment he came within 10 feet.

[pmulcahy11b]

I did watch it, finally -- but most people don't like to watch war movies and suchlike with me because I delight in pointing out the mistakes -- don't what's wrong with them -- don't they want to know the facts

[Mahatatain]

Perhaps he relocated after the successful shot

From what happened next I don't think that was the case. I was certainly sitting there thinking that one of the American soldiers was going to get shot or at least shot at but nothing happened until they'd cleaned the blood of the Barrett rounds and were able to engage the sniper again.

I might be wrong though.

Another thing that struck me as wrong was most of the IED were remote controlled and the guy holding the remote is just going to sit there and watch as the guy tries to disarm his bomb. I would be pushing the button the moment he came within 10 feet.

I know what you mean, though with a couple of the IED's there reasons. The very first one, where Guy Pearce's character was killed, the man with the phone was seen trying to get back to the site where he could see what was going on. My assumption was that it took him a while so he couldn't see what was happening for a while. It was odd though because he could have hung back a lot further at the boundary line the other US troops had set up and detonated it from there.

The other IED that was never detonated for some reason was the multi connected set of shells that were very neatly laid out in a pattern for the picture they used to promote the film. I think that what was going on there was that the man who was supposed to set it off bottled it and ran away.

I did watch it, finally -- but most people don't like to watch war movies and suchlike with me because I delight in pointing out the mistakes -- don't what's wrong with them -- don't they want to know the facts

I'm also bad for picking holes in films - what others did you spot in this one

[Legbreaker]

The very first one, where Guy Pearce's character was killed...

Wait, Guy gets slotted!!

[simonmark6]

Yup, finally he pays for not being in The Sullivans.

[Targan]

The actor who plays the main character in The Hurt Locker is also the archer guy in The Avengers isn't he

[Stackmouse]

I wish they hadn't made this one. I think EOD/IEDD business doesn't need any promoting, at least not high fantasy stuff like this. The procedures made little if any sense. I guess it is a kick ass military action movie for those who have no idea about how military in general or EOD works.

For me it sucked, the disbelief was not suspended... but then again, the EOD is my current field and I tend to view it in a bit different light than most.

[Medic]

I wish they hadn't made this one. I think EOD/IEDD business doesn't need any promoting, at least not high fantasy stuff like this. The procedures made little if any sense. I guess it is a kick ass military action movie for those who have no idea about how military in general or EOD works.

For me it sucked, the disbelief was not suspended... but then again, the EOD is my current field and I tend to view it in a bit different light than most.

For me, medical stuff in movies and tv-series is pretty much the same thing - I hate it, when the producers have taken artistic freedoms about my line of work.

As for the movie, it was relatively entertaining, but I can remember watching it and counting moments where the protagonists would have been killed in real life. Can't remember the actual count, but it was pretty high...