If you saw "the Hurt Locker", there's no way you'd consider it a pro-war film

[scheming daemons]

The last thing anybody would want to do after watching that film is join the military.


Anybody who claims it is a pro-war or recruitment film has not seen the film. Period.

[IndianaGreen]

1. Did anyone see that film?

I never heard of it!

[Skittles]

YES

I searched for it far and wide last summer - finally found it in ONE theater in Dallas

[piratefish08]

4. Great film - well deserved Oscar.

James Cameron had his ass handed to him by his ex-wife.

[bigwillq]

5. I saw it. It was decent.

Well-made. Good performances. Good direction, editing. Slightly overrated. Deliberately slow moving for an "action" film. But I liked it. Kept my interest throughout.

I found it to be neither anti nor pro war. There really wasn't a political tilt to anything in the movie, imo.

[Cha]

2. The Director Katheryn Bigelow

was very appreciative of the military last night in her both of her acceptance speeches..for director and best picture. I haven't seen it but from the clips..there's no way they made a pro war film.

[Skittles]

3. YOU KNOW IT S D

lots of idiots on DU; I tend to think they are more anti-military than anti-propaganda

[leftstreet]

6. It's neutral on war, but definitely pro-military

Hollywood 'war' movies have shifted away from the issue of war itself - as if war is just an accepted norm now. Which is certainly in keeping with US foreign policy.

Movies like this one showcase individuals - good vs bad, skilled vs unskilled, blah blah blah.

But the military itself comes off as seemingly good because these individuals are performing important and useful jobs (defusing bombs).


(District 9 was MUCH more interesting!)

[scheming daemons]

9. After seeing what they have to put up with, there's no way someone watches that movie and says...

...I want to do that!


I don't see how it would help recruitment at all.

[Johonny]

21. it's pro war like boys in the hood was pro gangs

or god father was pro mob. The actions in the movie are justified by the rules set up in the movie. Which is to say there is some truth in François Truffaut criticism of anti-war movies, that there is no such thing as an anti-war movie because it will invariably look exciting up on screen.

[demosincebirth]

24. War movies don't stop young men from enlisting

[KonaKane]

25. Good economies stop young men from enlisting.

Bet me.

[Chulanowa]

26. +1

You're right on spot.

[demosincebirth]

29. I don't bet, but during the fifties, there were good economic times, and many of

of my friends and myself enlisted for military service. During my stint, there were many more RA's than US's. So, its not all true what you say.

[cherokeeprogressive]

7. Agreed. Not a recruiting film by any stretch of the imagination.

I thought I read though that some of the dudes who actually do that IRL were kinda pissed because of the way Renner's character was non-chalant. I wish I could remember where I read it. I read NO ONE would take his bomb suit off to "die comfortable".

[bigwillq]

10. Yes, I've read several accounts

highlighting the inaccuracy of the film. Overall, it was a decent, interesting film. Pardon the pun, but, it didn't blow me away. A good, well-made film but not the best I've ever seen.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

16. Technical reality is rarely is ever well captured in films or books

Tom Clancy, Harold Coyle and others tend to get the military stuff pretty close, most others don't even try.

[bigwillq]

17. True.

It was just interesting to read the accounts after seeing the movie.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

19. It was obvious to anybody with real world experience ...but it really does not matter in most movies

There is a cliche that says a book may be about many people, but a movie can be about no more than one or two leads. Some truth there. Imagine trying to make and understandable movie about Hotel or other multiplot book.

[Imagevision]

8. OK movie - far from the best of the best though - must have been a female thing (director)

[ProgressiveProfessor]

14. How very PC of you...

[LostInAnomie]

11. A lot of people like to sling shit when they get their feelings hurt.

[imnKOgnito]

12. I agree... Spoiler Alert!!!

While being neither overtly pro or anti war, 2 of the 3 main characters can't wait to get the hell out and 1 of those is nearly resigned to the fact that he is going to die there. By the end we find out the 3rd one is so broken from being in a constant state of war that he can't even function as a human being when he finally is home. He may be full of bravado marching back into battle at the end, but by then we already know it's the only thing he's still capable of doing. That makes him a completely tragic figure, not a hero.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

13. It was more of an actors movie, and a good one at that. Remember who votes the awards

If you want to go by popularity watch the Peoples Choice Awards (does that even exist anymore?)

I saw all of the contenders before the nominations were announced. Each was very good in its own way.

[bigwillq]

18. If you had to pick

Who would've been your No. 1 choice for Best Picture? I've only seen Precious and The Hurt Locker so far. Both were decent but not as good as some Best Picture winners or nominees in the past.

[UTUSN]

15. Here's EBERT's review. I'll post back when I read it.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090708/REVIEWS/907089997/1023

[inna]

20. Didn't it gross something like $12 million?

Haven't seen it and don't know anyone IRL who's seen it, have mixed feelings based on what I've read (mostly here).

[Froward69]

22. (spoiler) I found the hurt locker rather profound on

more than a couple levels.

(It is online from a piriate shareware site. If ya want to be commie and view it for free.)

the name of the movie is the first hint as to what it is really about. (dying comfortable is not one of them)
the locker contains a part of each bomb he diffused. something that could have "hurt". but did not. the Locker did not have a picture of his Wife and kid.
The adrenaline rush of his job was the draw to go back... Leave his Family. as diffusing Bombs in Iraq was more fulfilling than Family here at home.
Thus War more of a draw than Family (peace) to the Hero. "War is like a drug." is the first line of the movie and the "Hero" was addicted to war.
stinger ain't it. ;)

now the movie was edited together superbly, the sound and graphic adaptation of superior camera Work. All came together to produce an Excellent movie.
The Movie "The Hurt locker", Director Etc. Deserved all the Oscars Awarded.

It would not in my opinion be able to be a recruitment tool for the Military, Unless the military would admit that the adrenaline rush associated with combat is addictive and they are indeed addicted to it.

Now I wanted to see "Invictus" go some where. it was about Nelson Mandela, Played by Morgan Freeman and directed by Clint Eastwood. But the editing in that flick rendered it a fucking disgrace. To Nelson Mandela's story of bringing his country together.

[demosincebirth]

30. I thought it was a very good movie. As far as it being pro-war? Depends on your politics

Many on DU would call it pro-war, but I would just call it a war movie. Take it for what it is.

[Froward69]

31. Agreed

it is just a war movie. the war in it could be luge, skeleton, sky diving or any other activity that produces adrenaline.

[paulsby]

23. it's not pro or anti-war

it concentrates on the mission of a few dedicated individuals.

it doesn't touch on broader issues. it was tightly focused.

frankly, i enjoyed the LACK of political crap in it

[K8-EEE]

27. Great....on the edge of my seat the whole time...

One of my favorite parts was when the main character came home and his impossibility to adjust....the scene in the supermarket, that was one of the most sobering look at war I've ever seen, the part nobody ever goes into, which is, after you're home, then what? LOVED IT!

[The Backlash Cometh]

28. What it does it appear enticing for "the right kind of man."

It is an enlisting tool and will attract those who like to live on the edge. Doesn't apply to everyone, but it does apply to those who fit the description. There were two people in that movie that embraced those ideals. The main protagonist, and the sergeant or officer who asked him how many bombs he had detonated.