Largely off her game since her flop with 1995’s Strange Days, Bigelow proves her mettle as one of action cinema’s true virtuosos with this politically provocative and visually arresting thriller about a Baghdad bomb disposal unit that’s imperiled by its risk-addicted, hotheaded leader. Whether the character is meant as a critique or an endorsement of the American warrior code — smart money says both — James (Renner in a riveting performance) is a worthy addition to the gallery of conflicted, macho dick-swingers who populate Bigelow’s best films. The Hurt Locker’s expertly paced and realized action sequences are just as ballsy. 

Email us at: LETTERS@EYEWEEKLY.COM or send your questions to EYEWEEKLY.COM
625 Church St, 6th Floor, Toronto M4Y 2G1