Look to the small independent film makers for good movies these days. The Hurt Locker is not a war movie in the normal sense we’re used to. It is really a character study of a unique personality type driven by adrenalin and danger. It could be the portrait of a Nascar driver, free-style rock climber, or big wave surf boarder, but this character happens to be a soldier trained for explosive ordinance disposal (EOD). There are scenes of incredible tension and suspense that will make your hair stand on end. The main and supporting characters are well developed and the acting is superb. Filmed mostly in Jordan, you get a realistic portrayal of life in a war zone. There are naturally some clichés such as the hoorah Army Colonel and behind the lines psychologist who just doesn’t get it. There are some implausible scenes that just don’t seem to fit, but overall the story is engrossing, the dialog believable, and the action scenes exciting. The real art in this movie is the thought put into the main character portrayed by Jeremy Renner. You are engrossed in him and spend the entire movie trying to figure him out. Is he a real hero or a simple redneck? You really don’t know what to expect or how things will turn out. This makes some folks uncomfortable and many will not enjoy this movie. I really enjoyed this welcome change of pace. I believe there will be an Oscar nomination or two stemming from this production and it will be well deserved. The Hurt Locker is one of the best films so far this year.