War is a Drug

Chris Hedges, an American journalist, wrote “The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, war is a drug.” (movies.nytimes.com). This quote was used in The Hurt Lockerbecause of its representation throughout the movie. The quote represented how U.S. soldiers have reacted to the traumatizing events that war commonly presents.

The Hurt Locker is an American war movie that reveals what Explosive Ordinance Disposal, also known as EOD’s, specialists are confronted with in the war in Iraq. The movie was written by Mark Boal and directed by Kathryn Bigelow. Mark Boal is an American journalist who traveled with an American bomb squad during the war in Iraq in 2004.

Claudia Puig accurately described the movie, saying “It captures the complexities of the war in Iraq with visceral suspense as well as explosive battle sequences and powerful performances.” (usatoday.com). Kathryn Bigelow directed the film to capture the mental and physical pain U.S. soldiers endure during war. This perspective was a progressive alteration compared to other war movies because it focused on the soldiers instead of the politics.

In The Hurt Locker, Staff Sgt. William James joins the U.S. Army’s Bravo Company and replaces Staff Sgt. Matt Thompson (Guy Pearce) after he is killed by an IED. Improvised Explosive Devices, also known as IED’s, have been responsible for almost 60% of U.S. casualties in Iraq and 50% of U.S. casualties in Afghanistan, both killed and wounded (fas.org). Sgt. JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) are also members of the Bravo Company and were close to Staff Sgt. Thompson. Staff Sgt. James and Staff Sgt Thompson were both EOD specialists. Sgt. Sanborn and Specialist Eldridge communicate with their Staff Sgt. when he is disabling IED’s. When Staff Sgt. James joins the Bravo Company, Sgt. Sanborn and Specialist Eldrige immediately disapprove of his arrogance and apathy for protocol.

With two days left in Iraq, Sgt. Sanborn confesses to Staff Sgt. James that he can’t handle the pressure of serving in the army, and wants to return home and start a family. The following scene begins with Sgt. Sanborn at home, unenthusiastic with the lifestyle, with his wife and son. He then realizes that the army is what he knows and loves. This is where the quote “war is a drug” describes the addictiveness of war.

The movie was ingeniously designed to capture the mental and physical pain U.S. soldiers endure during war without discussing the politics. I would give this movie an 8 out of 10 because of the dramatic effects and the realism it presented.
Written by Jake