“The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow reveals the addiction and dependence that permeates the modern battlefield.

The unpredictability of bomb disposal

The film opens in the summer of 2004 with scenes of explosive ordnance disposal on the front lines in Iraq. Bravo Squadron discovers an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) across the street and immediately disposes of the explosive. However, due to an unexpected incident during work, a bomb explodes and the team leader, Sergeant Thompson (Guy Pearce), is killed in action. A new Sergeant James (Jeremy Renner) is assigned to the position, but this man is a stubborn man who ignores all work rules, so his subordinates Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) )'s anxiety is endless.

Although the U.S. military's Explosive Ordinance Division (EOD) was a key player in Iraq, it was little known before this film was released. In 2004, at the beginning of the Iraq War, there were only 150 U.S. soldiers trained as explosive ordnance disposal technicians. It is said that the death rate for EOD soldiers is five times higher than for other military personnel, as it is a dangerous job that can involve death.

"The Hurt Locker" (c)Photofest / Getty Images

Not only the fragments of the bomb, but also the shock wave from the explosion have the ability to kill, so soldiers cannot afford to let their guard down even for a moment. ``When an improvised explosive device is found, the explosive ordnance disposal squad is called in, and while they dispose of it, all other members of the military retreat to the rear,'' Ball explains, citing his own experience. ``The Hurt Locker'' depicts the unpredictable fear that mercilessly exposes the members of Bravo Company, and the tense 38 days in which they work to defuse a bomb amidst that fear.

The wives and families of EOD soldiers live in daily fear as it is a dangerous job that puts their lives on the line. Separation and troubles with wives are so common that there is even a joke that EOD stands for "Everyone's Divorced." The main character, James, seems to have divorced his wife, but even after the divorce in his home country, he seems to be living with his wife and son.

The U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team was established during World War II. The technicians are trained at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, and candidates must endure six months of training. Bomb disposal engineers, who require a high level of technical ability equivalent to that of a doctor, play an indispensable and important role in modern warfare.

Casting of unknown actors to emphasize reality