Suspense is still one of the most difficult elements to capture and express on screen. The Hurt Locker is a rare breed in the 21st Century. While the mostly unpopular Iraq War has netted a few films so far, The Hurt Locker offers a suspenseful look into the lives of the soldier, minus the political leanings.
Love it or hate it, the Iraq War happened, and is happening and the politics, lies, cover-ups, etc, etc have made the situation difficult for many. The Hurt Locker dives into the lives of soldiers of a bomb squad and their daily struggles with life and death. What makes this film stand out, is that instead of revealing a poitical agenda, it veers off to a new path. The story is told, and the struggles are revealed. This allowed director Kathryn Bigelow to focus on a little character development and control the suspense.