Those of a nervous disposition should opt out of a tour of duty with Kathryn Bigelow’s thrilling war drama.

The Hurt Locker is a master class in sustained tension as a three-strong bomb disposal squad attached to the US Army risks life and severed limb to defuse roadside IEDs (improvised explosive devices).

To heighten our unease, a major character is blown to smithereens in the nerve-racking opening sequence.

No-one is safe.

Expect to bite your nails to the cuticle over the subsequent two hours as the soldiers of Bravo Company count down the 38 days left on their current rotation.

Journalist and screenwriter Mark Boal spent time in Iraq with an army bomb squad, and his hellish experiences add a sheen of uncomfortable realism to Bigelow’s directorial brio.

The odds are stacked against these men from the very first frame, and the few who live to tell the tale will be emotionally scarred for the rest of their civilian lives.

Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) is the new-boy of Bravo Company, taking charge of sergeant JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) on the streets of Baghdad.

James’s gung-ho, fatalistic approach to his job creates friction with his subordinates.

‘He’s a rowdy boy,’ remarks Eldridge, slightly in awe of the new staff sergeant’s swagger.

‘He’s reckless,’ corrects Sanborn, knowing full well that one wrong move could get them all killed.

When one such action has predictably fatal consequences, Sanborn explodes – ‘We didn’t have to go looking for trouble to get your adrenaline fix!’ – and James is finally compelled to face up to the repercussions of his decisions.

The Hurt Locker is a gripping portrait of courage and carelessness under-fire, anchored by strong performances from the leads as three different faces of the modern US military.

Renner captures the contradictions of his unit leader, who struts the line between bravado and suicidal abandon.

‘If I’m gonna die, I want to die comfortable,’ he tells his unit, removing his protective gear so he can squeeze closer to a car packed full of explosives.

Mackie and Geraghty are compelling as the voices of experience and exuberance, and there are pivotal roles for Guy Pearce and Ralph Fiennes as men caught in the crossfire.

Bigelow’s direction is impeccable, shooting on location in Jordan in 54-degree heat to capture the exhaustion on the faces of her actors as they become embroiled in the meticulously-orchestrated action sequences.

Every bead of sweat, every grimace of pain looks and feels real, yet the men of Bravo Company wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

They get their kicks staring down the barrel of the enemy’s gun and dodging bullets every single day, and we’re invited along for the ride.

Take cover.

• Release Date: Friday 28 August 2009
• Certificate: 15
• Runtime: 131mins

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