The Hurt Locker - Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

Have just see the winner of the Best Film at the Oscars, The Hurt Locker. Have to be honest as in the UK one has seen many War Films from 1930s onwards, the Hurt Locker in a way did recall those War films from the 40s and 50s, more about the characters in a war zone that the actual war itself. At least the film was not Anti Iraq War, the central character of Sergeant William James had the same quality as one has seen in many UK War Films, the man you would want in the foxhole with your in a time of War, but also the type that could get you killed in the process and who's inter personnel skills would make you run the other way if you meet them in a pub. Have to admit the above might sound harsh but after so many Vietnam War films, Platoon and Born on the 4th of July, the Hurt Locker did recall a previous age in film making, not a celebration of War but not an attack, and that's a lot from Hollywood. In Vietnam films there is a strong Anti War message, in the Hurt Locker it shows the perils of War, any one can die but that is a message of all good war films, the Hurt Locker is not about never going to War. The central character Sergeant James goes back to War, thus not Vietnam. It was interesting that on the same night ABC News ran a piece on EOD ( Explosive Ordnance Disposal ) teams in Afghanistan, as the real life soldier stated it helps if your a little bit nuts to do the job. Have also to admit a bit of fan of Danger UXB from UK TV series of the 1970s, about bomb disposal teams in World War Two, on the whole liked the film but its not All Quiet on the Western Front, Great Escape or Platoon.