The Hurt Locker

The film may have been released in 2009 but thanks to successes this year at the BAFTA's and Oscars Kathryn Bigelow's Iraq war film has received a short cinema re-release.

The strength of " The Hurt Locker" is it's unremitting tension from beginning to end as we watch a bomb disposal unit battling against a variety of unexploded bombs in Baghdad. A largely unknown cast ( aside from cameos from Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes and Evangelina Lilly) stokes up the tension with strong performances creating likeable characters that you increasingly care about.

It avoids the obvious route of apportioning blame or attempting any kind of politic comment instead purely concentrating upon their efforts of surviving each day and returning home intact at the end of each tour of duty.

In many ways the monotony of each day helped to increase the tension although the undoubted find of the film is Jeremy Renner. It was his ability to convey his character as a man who only came alive through the adrenalin rush his job provided that made the film its focal point.

Not my idea of the best picture of the year but still an interesting and riveting film.