REVIEW: 'THE HURT LOCKER'

This week, we've covered the Transformers from about every possible angle - except their nether regions, because Bay has that covered.  But there's another film starting today that deserves far more asses in seats than Bay's bombastic sequel.  I'm talking about THE HURT LOCKER, which - if you couldn't tell from the pull quote above - Screenjunkies thinks is just about the tensest movie that's come out since NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. 

I'll keep it short.  The movie's directed by Kathryn Bigelow, who was responsible for some modern classics like POINT BREAK, NEAR DARK and STRANGE DAYS.  It stars Jeremy Renner (28 WEEKS LATER) and Anthony Mackie (EAGLE EYE, WE ARE MARSHALL) and Brian Geraghty (JARHEAD).  And it's got a host of kickass cameos by the likes of Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes and David Morse.  LOST hottie Evangeline Lilly even makes a brief appearance. 

And from the get-go, you know this movie means business.  Much in the way the opening of NO COUNTRY had Anton Chigurrh (Javier Bardem) introduce himself with his notorious cattle gun, this film opens up by showing a much different - but no less deadly - villain.  And it'll shock you, provided you haven't read any spoilers yet.  It shocked the hell out of me, to the point that, for the duration of the film, I occasionally plugged my ears in anticipation of something horrific happening at any moment. 

And that's the appeal of THE HURT LOCKER.  It's at once a character piece, but more so just two hours of relentless tension following Staff Sgt. (Renner) as he diffuses bomb after bomb in his own wild card ways.  Is he putting his subordinates in danger, or are their protests of his loose cannonry premature?  Will he escape death this time?  How about this time?  He can't possibly this time... And so on.  And I'm not going to spoil the ending, but it's a message as incendiary as a pipe bomb, without actually exploding anyone's face.

Go see this movie if it's playing near you.  You will absolutely not question your decision when the end credits roll.