Is there anyone here who has actually seen The Hurt Locker who thinks it's a pro-war movie?

[ButterflyBlood]

If you haven't seen don't post. That's not the question.

[galileoreloaded]

1. Not pro-war and frankly not a realistic depiction either. But a pretty good story none the less.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

13. self-delete

[Skittles]

2. it absolutely is NOT

[ButterflyBlood]

3. The funny thing is, it was written by the same guy as In The Valley of Elah

An obviously anti-war movie.

[MilesColtrane]

4. Some guy on some blog somewhere on the internet says it is.

It must be.

[leeroysphitz]

5. I've seen it and it's a shit movie. I served in the army in the first gulf war.

I throw up a little in my mouth every time I hear somebody say that this movie is realistic.

[grahamhgreen]

18. Thnk you for your insight!

[supernova]

6. Who thinks THL is pro-war?

I haven't seen that posted here.

I've seen THL. I can't speak to it's realism or not, since I haven't been in that situation. However, I think it does go a long way toward just focusing on what happens to everyday individual people emotionally in very unpredictable circumstances and without all the too generous dollops of rah-rah militarism that accompany other movies like, oh The Green Berets.

For me, that's why The Hurt Locker is worthwhile.

[ButterflyBlood]

7. Just read these threads

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7866661
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7866662

[ChoppinBroccoli]

8. I Saw The Movie

It was so good, I fell asleep. Honestly, it better not have won anything for editing, because you could have easily cut an entire hour out of that movie and not lost anything. It was just WAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY too long.

[justanaverageguy]

9. I didn't think it was one way or the other

I can't speak to it's actual realism since I've never served in the military, however at many points during the movie it felt like I was watching a documentary. A sort of "day in the life of..." In that sense is seems to capture the realism.

It was mildly entertaining. All the good parts are in the trailer for the movie. I'm not sure it was best pic material.

[Hepburn]

10. I never heard of it until I watched the Oscars...

...so...I have no opinion.

:hi:

[leftstreet]

11. Not necessarily pro/anti war, but it was certainly pro-military

Hollywood 'war' movies have shifted away from the issue of war itself - as if war is just an accepted norm now. Which is certainly in keeping with US foreign policy.

Movies like this one showcase individuals - good vs bad, skilled vs unskilled, blah blah blah.

But the military itself comes off seeming at best a good thing doing an important and useful job, or at worst simply benign.

Tsk, tsk who wouldn't feel 'safer' that the bomb dude chose to go back to work at the end of the movie, protecting Americans from Teh Terra.

:puke:

[ButterflyBlood]

12. I didn't see it that way at all

Struck me as trying to be tragic implying that this guy is now so detached from normal life he can't even do something simple like shop at the supermarket with his wife and instead is stuck on war like a drug. I didn't see the ending as supposed to be noble at all.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

14. Not pro-war. It's about men doing life and death work.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. It's vaguely pro-war. Mostly neutral.

But the last scene where he enjoys himself going back to war is certainly pro-war.

[Skittles]

17. you missed the point ENTIRELY

the guy was an ADRENALINE JUNKIE - the movie was about the KIND OF GUY THAT DOES THAT KIND OF STUFF - it is RIDICULOUS to consider that PRO-WAR

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

23. Right. He's an adrenaline junkie. He probably drinks mountain dew.

Like totally awesome snow boarders n' stuff.

[Johonny]

22. I agree

François Truffaut said that there is no such thing as an anti-war movie because it will invariably look exciting up on screen. It's hard to argue that this is somewhat true, particularly for "anti-movies" like Platoon or Hurts locker where the action, characters and tension can't help but pull you into the "war" universe. Ebert has argued movies such as Paths of Glory argue against Truffaut as the war scenes are as depressing as the rest of the movie.

[erpowers]

16. I Don't

I saw the movie and I do not think it was a pro-war movie. I also do not think it was an anti-war movie. In addition, I did not see it as a recruiting tool for the Army. I did not like the movie, but that was not based on whether or not it was a pro or anti-war movie. I just thought a large portion of the movie was very unrealistic.

[Brooklyns_Finest]

19. It certainly was not Anti-War

It was a decent movie, a bit unrealistic (I'm an Operation Enduring Freedom Vet)but I didn't fall asleep.

[krabigirl]

20. Haven't seen it, sorry. Have no desire to either.

[UTUSN]

21. I guess I'm going to see both. Hollywood wins. n/t