Hurt Locker - 1119 Words

Connor McLaughlin Mr. Rand Civic and Cultural Literacy II 12 October 2011 Hurt Locker: An Addiction To War The Hurt Locker can give almost anybody the nerves with its numerous suspenseful moments. But what lies inside all the tension filled scenes is a much deeper meaning. Kathryn Bigelow stresses an important message in this Oscar-winning epic. Although the film depicts the gruesome horrors of war, Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker is not an anti-war film. The Hurt Locker is a film about James’s addiction to war because it shows his desire tension risk filled scenes, his lack of resentment for the war, and his inability to integrate himself back into â€Å"normal society† It is clear from the beginning of the movie that it was going†¦show more content†¦How can it be considered an anti-war film if none of the characters question the reason for war, or any politicians for that matter? The film does not focus on the purpose of the war but more so on how the war is conducted. One of the more interesting parts of the movie is James’s reaction to the real word. It shows that James cannot cope in a civilian lifestyle. This is very evident when he goes back home to the States. In the supermarket he seems lost, a feeling he never really seemed to have in Iraq. He hesitates when he picks out a cereal; James never hesitated back in Iraq. His inability to cope with civilian society is also very evident when he is in his house. He tries to tell his ex-wife all about the stories he has from Iraq but she does not listen. It appears that being in a bomb squad is the only thing that he talks and cares about. The defining moment that explains James’s inability to be a civilian is when he talks his son. He says that there is only one thing in the world he loves. The next scene shows him going back to Iraq and putting the bomb suit back on. This scene in particular highlights his addiction to war. He was unable to have a happy life at home so he needed to go to the one place that made him happy. It can be compared to a drug addict going back into a relapse after a break. Although one can argue that James’s addiction to war is an effect of the war which would make the movie anti-war, the lastShow MoreRelated The Hurt Locker Essay2627 Words   |  11 Pagesjourney into The Hurt Locker, a critically acclaimed war movie written by Mark Boal and directed by Kathryn Bigelow (Hurt). The quote was written by former New York Times war correspondent, Chris Hedges and it perfectly sets the stage for a story that depicts just how potent and addicting war can be (Corliss). The 2008 movie won six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Actor in a Leading Role (â€Å"Nominees Winners†). The Hurt Locker is an exceptionalRead MoreThe Hurt Locker By Kathryn Bigelow1879 Words   |  8 PagesHollywood techniques. Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker is a film that break s many of cinema’s classical conventions. The film periodically takes the audience out of the main characters’ shoes, and places them into the enemy onlooker’s position. The film shatters not only the audience’s expectations going into the film, but also the identification that the viewer makes with the main characters. Because of various stylistic elements and disruptions, The Hurt Locker gives the audience an penetrating lookRead MoreMovie Analysis : Hurt Locker 1231 Words   |  5 PagesThe â€Å"Hurt Locker† by the filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow conveys several messages but I believe that the main message to the theme of the movie is presented at the very beginning of the film in the form of a quote. The quote that appears in the film states, â€Å"The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug.† This quote comes from the book ‘War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning,’ by Chris Hedges, a reporter for The New York Times. I believe this message is the main theme of thisRead MoreMovie Analysis : The Hurt Locker 1344 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The Hurt Locker† by film maker Kathryn Bigelow conveys the theme of the movie at the very beginning. The theme is a simple quote by Chris Hedges which states, â€Å"The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug.† (Hedges)The film s greatest achievement is its ability to communicate the underlying truth of this quote consistently throughout the movie. Sergeant First Class William James, played by James Renner, captures this message through his job description, dialogueRead MoreMovie Analysis : The Hurt Locker1515 Words   |  7 Pagespockets of the population that have experienced warfare, the jarringly focused and rigid representation of EOD team leader Sergeant First Class William James in Katherine Bigelow’s film The Hurt Locker (2008) provides insight to a world that much of the audienc e will never experience. Although The Hurt Locker would be regarded as a â€Å"realistic† film in form and content by modern standards, the resulting product would not belong totally to â€Å"realist cinema† as defined by French theorist and film ciriticRead MoreThe Hurt Locker, Directed by Kathryn Bigelow Essay1070 Words   |  5 PagesAs most of you know by now the movie The Hurt Locker won the Oscar for movie of the year, and this makes me very angry. My civilian friends keep asking me why Im so mad, because most of them enjoyed watching it. Simply put its because the movie is full of lies, exaggerations, and ugly people. But its a movie they say, of course its not realistic. Thats strange.. because the back of The Hurt Locker box says Powerfully Realistic. Yet this movie is about as far from realism that a movieRead MoreThe Hurt Locker By Film Maker Kathryn Bigelow1273 Words   |  6 PagesThe Hurt Locker The Hurt Locker by film maker Kathryn Bigelow conveys the theme of the movie at the very beginning. The theme is a simple quote by Chris Hedges which states, â€Å"The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug.† (Hedges) The film s greatest achievement is its ability to communicate the underlying truth of this quote consistently throughout the movie. Sergeant First Class William James, played by James Renner, captures this message through his job descriptionRead MoreAnalysis Of The Opening Scene Of Kathryn Bigelow s The Hurt Locker1467 Words   |  6 PagesTechnically, the opening scene of Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker is unnecessary. The story doesn’t really start until Jeremy Renner’s Sgt. James first arrives ten minutes later. At that point, his adrenaline-based nature and his relationship with the men in his unit become the paramount focus of the film. However, for what Bigelow is doing, that opening scene is absolutely essential. For the viewer, this essentially extended TV teaser slams you into the action. Suddenly, you’re on the battlefieldRead MoreThe Hurt Locker and Zero Darks Use of Language to Portray the Life of Combatants in Battle2511 Words   |  10 Pages How do Kathryn Bigelow’s films The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty use language to portray the life of combatants in a battle? Introduction Kathryn Bigelow is one of the most iconic directors of the modern era. Her sense of depicting language remains unopposed. She is known for her specialty films of the war genre. Several of her works have been greatly appreciated, such as The Weight of Water, The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, etc. These have won her several awards and secured her place as oneRead MoreHurt Locker and Ptsd1903 Words   |  8 PagesThe Hurt Locker and PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is an anxiety disorder that runs through our military system and is often vastly overlooked. It is a little-known mental health problem that is poorly understood. It can be traced back to the times of the Civil War and has been given names like shell-shocked syndrome, PTSD, soldiers heart, and combat fatigue. A soldier who has experienced combat or military exposure of any level of severity can be susceptible to this anxiety disorder and