The Hurt Locker, 2008

The Hurt Locker, 2008
Director:Kathryn Bigelow
Cast:Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Guy Pierce



Stage: Home Theatre
Preps: None. I saw a trailer and thought well, why the heck wouldn't I give a shot again to one war movie. None of them sparkled me in perticular, however I have seen a few (Thin red Line, Saving Private Ryan - to name the ones connected to the topic this movie relates to).


Reality: The movie implies what kind of a nonsense the war is in general. The spectator sees numerous scenes of combat, intriguing scenes of bombs, local citizens in war with brave americans (once again we see them marching through a country and saving the world).
I was told by one of people I know and actually goes to missions like this, that this is a true picture of what happens there. It cannot be that... miserable?.. without any sense? I don't suppose war has any sense at all. Who are these people in the end? Who comes home, the one that left, or something that was corrupted in a way it cannot be restored? The men in the scenes sell their souls for a year to their country for what.. more money? Women that don't wait for them at home?

In a scene, the problem is emphasized. The soldier yells, that noone cares if he dies, and noone is there to wait for him. Yes, he is right. Those men rarely have someone to go to back home because noone can bare the burden.

A heavy movie, in any possible aspect. If it's true, I cannot judge. As told, it's supposed to be a very true aspect of what is really happening at the front. And I don't think the language barrier is what makes this conflict even greater. It is the mind barrier.

The final scene shows the mind one has when returning home. Away with thoughts, still there at the front, with the only desire to go back. Because all he saw also became a part of his soul he cannot live without.


My personal rate: 6,5 (interest I see in this is in hurting your soul when on a mission like this. What kind of person are you when you get back home? What did you leave up there in Iraq? Who really came back, you or your evil brother- all those that favour war movies, you are going to enjoy it)


Hurt Locker on IMDB

The Road, 2009

The Road, 2009
Director: John Hillcoat
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Robert Duvall, Guy Pierce



The Road in short: A post-apocalyptic tale of a man and his son trying to survive by any means possible.

Preps: None in perticular. I came up to this movie as one of suggested ones from my friends, and since it's Viggo Mortensen acting I don't have any serious objections seeing it (I just adored the man in LOTR as Aragorn). Also Duvall gives me hope that this could be good. Duvall is especially good at drama genre, it brings the best out of his performance.

Stage: Home cinema


Reality: The viewer is thrown into a broken world (or let's just narrow this to the noble USA, because you don't see the world actually). Without any knowledge what happened you need to follow a man with his son, drowning in desire to get to the east coast where the sea is (no idea whatsoever, what is so cool on the east anyway, the director doesn't let us in in this big secret.

All the refugees come from somewhere, there are some villains running around. I don't get where they get the food, anything to survive. In a whole there is this big lack I need to fill in - what the hell happened and what is the purpose of this wonderous trip.

Apart from some good scenes of torn houses or buildings, some fine jumps in time (where you see the mother of the child as she ran away) and a good dilemma, when is the point where you say it's not worth it and just shoot yourself and your child, because nothing good is ahead.. well, maybe this is why you would see it and in some fantasy even enjoy it.

But don't bother.. I think it's a waste of time :) Aragorn should just stay in LOTR and be proud of his act there :)



In which world do such movies get nominations? This one was nominated for BAFTA, some best actor awards, best scenography, best young actor,.. hmmm. I wonder what kind of potion they drank before nominating this. Or giving it the award, which is one step further from nomination.


My personal rating: 3 (barely stayed and watched it till the end. I hope you do better :) and not watch it at all)


p.s. IMDB peak: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0898367/