Cinematic killing spree

The Hurt Locker deftly shows the chaos of war | Meghan Keane

Summit Entertainment

Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker begins by informing the viewer that "war is a drug." But the director's version is not a drug most people would take voluntarily.

The film is a microcosm of the chaos of war. The majority of its 131 minutes are spent building tension and suspense with little reprieve. The Hurt Locker (rated R for war violence and language) is a deftly crafted story of danger, heroism, and dismay that may not be pleasant to watch, but its exploration of the fine line between hero and masochist is certainly addicting.

The plot revolves around a crew of weapons specialists who travel through Iraq diffusing bombs. Due to the nature of the work, it's a rotating cast of characters. And while Bigelow has convinced some larger names (Ralph Fiennes, Guy Pearce) to participate in her cinematic killing spree, she has inverted the usual death rate of big stars on film: If you recognize an actor's name here, he likely won't make it to the next scene.