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- - "HURT LOCKER" (http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24058)

Save your money.

Lost count of how many times I thought "THAT'S STUPID."

The movie counts down the days left in B Company's tour in Iraq.

I kept wondering "how many minutes left in this flick?"

Skip this drag.

Thank you sir for posting this, I was considering it for the weekend.

Better off breaking out "Blackhawk Down."

I was curious what things in particular you disliked, i thought it was a rather good movie, accuracy aside. Particularly as it has been exceptionally well reviewed, i thought it was well paced, well acted and barring one particular scene very plausible as war movies go. But then again this is just the opinion of a movie fan rather then a soldier so YMMV.

Well reviewed by whom? NOT Soldiers.

1. The cowboy BULLSHIT that Hollywood loves to glorify. That crap would have gotten him fired or killed. From him skipping the robot to detect/defuse - to the "Let's slit up! you go left, you go right I'll go up the center - oh shit one of my guys got captured!" Moronic tactics...

2. The fact they did it (cowboy crap) with a character that was from Ranger Regiment only highlights how clueless they are. The Rangers I know are ultra disciplined. That crap would have gotten him fired from the Regiment so fast he wouldn't have known what hit him.

3. The stupid scenarios through out. SAS surrendering to US forces? Then acting like they don't know what the hell they're doing when the enemy shoots at them? Not treating casualties or evacuating the dead? The US forces with fully functional vehicle just hanging out in the kill zone for hours despite the ability to easily exfil? The list goes on...

4. The patchwork of short stories clearly cut and pasted together.

5. the first 20 minutes or so of the movie that was clearly an advertisement for the EOD Remote Robots.

6. The fact he's running around defusing bombs that clearly should have been blown in place.

7. The WAR CRIME that the COLONEL winked and smiled about ordering the death of a detainee? WTF!!!

8. The Obnoxious praise the COLONEL gave to the Cowboy, hot dog JACK-ASS for his stupidity? He should have been chewing that guys ass for the stunts he pulled that almost got his team killed...WTF!

9. Not in the mood to continue...it was crap.

Eat your popcorn - enjoy your coke - but don't tell me this was a good movie.

:mad:

Warrior-Mentor is dead on. But too bad i did not see his post before last night as i went and saw the movie and have to say every one of your points is absolutely correct. However, since my option was a new chick flick i have to say i think it wasnt completely terrible as I was not expecting anything from hollywood to be anything but Hollywood.

Unless it's a documentary. all movies require a willing suspension of disbelief.

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Originally Posted by HowardCohodas (Post 276018)

Unless it's a documentary. all movies require a willing suspension of disbelief.

So do a lot of "documentary" movies! :D

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Domains of Ignorance (Developed at University of Arizona, Dept of Surgery)

Isn't that actually the North Campus of the Nogales Technical Institute?

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Originally Posted by ZonieDiver (Post 276115)

So do a lot of "documentary" movies! :D

On reflection, you're exactly right. :o

The sniper scene was irritating beyond all belief.

Why were they hanging out there all day again?

We have a vehicle with an M2 but we need to hide behind this hill all day scared and not doing anything.
Capri Sun is the life blood of sniper ops. :D

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Originally Posted by morolen (Post 273237)

morolen,

W-M is trying to tell you something...... :rolleyes: This isn't a war movie,it's BS.......:p What part of his comments you didn't understand? :confused:

Big Teddy :munchin

If I might inject my opinion here after seeing the movie (or so called POS)

1.. First i could not stop thinking, after many visual cue's, how short is this guy?

2.. If any E7 acted with total disregard for his soldiers in this fashion would have quickly received a pocket full of muzzle punches.

3.. THE COWBOY SHIT just pissed me off! This is not the definition of expert! Professionalism will win the day hands down!

4.. I am currently TRYING to research the SAS. I actually have the pleasure of knowing a member that is retired (he comes in a package with a retired RANGER CSM) I am posative, and not by experience, that this scenario is utter bullshit.

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Originally Posted by morolen (Post 273237)

, i thought it was a rather good movie, accuracy aside. .

That made me laugh . . . if more people read their posts before submitting this would be a rather dull place.

Made me think of the old retort, "Well. . . BESIDES that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?"

I guess they were the only three in Iraq when they cleared the warehouse! Also, bring your black hoodie when you head off the FOB by yourself to extract revenge. The movie sucked.

Quote:

Originally Posted by morolen (Post 273237)

I was curious what things in particular you disliked, i thought it was a rather good movie, accuracy aside. Particularly as it has been exceptionally well reviewed, i thought it was well paced, well acted and barring one particular scene very plausible as war movies go. But then again this is just the opinion of a movie fan rather then a soldier so YMMV.

Might in the future start a statement with this is just the opinion of a movie fan rather then a soldier, and end it with, so I'll hold my opinion to myself

My .02

Buck

Well, if it stars the pot head hemp man you can save your money.

Whats that new one coming out? Hitting on the widow? I'll pass.

I'm glad this got bumped up.

I was going to buy it this week. I'll rent it now. This movie was on just about every critics top 10 list for the year. Maybe now I can see why it's not a coincidence.

99.9% of the target audience who views this film will think that's the way it is....

I'm taking the advise of friends and staying home.

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Originally Posted by Dozer523 (Post 307228)

Made me think of the old retort, "Well. . . BESIDES that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?"

Freakin Classic!!!!! :D

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Originally Posted by Broadsword2004 (Post 307795)

Was going to see this, now I know not to! One thing I wonder though, from what you soldiers are saying, why doesn't the Hollywood director get some real soldiers as consultants to make it accurate? Is that really difficult to do or something?

I was watching a Rambo film the other day, he fights through a bunch of guys, where they all miss him but he hits every one of them, takes off in a helicopter, flies it to the prisoners location, lands said helicopter, gets out with big machine gun, fights dozens of guys all shooting at him who all miss, rescues the prisoners, gets them all to the chopper while fighting the enemies and never running out of ammo, takes off in the helicopter, finds he is being pursued by a Soviet Hind, so he flies around the bend, land the Huey, waits for the Hind, then fires I think a rocket or something at it from a rocket launcher and blows it to smithereens. I know that film just is the height of realism:D

Must be that all the qualified military consultants are working on the Rambo documentaries. :p

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broadsword2004 (Post 307795)

W

I was watching a Rambo film the other day, :D

Why, one wonders?:rolleyes:

Hurtlocker is a typical piece of Hollywood crap. Maybe sometime in the next few years there will be some vets getting into the movie business and somebody might make an accurate film. Maybe.

I saw a much better flick last night on TV. Battleground, with Van Johnson and James Whitmore.

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Originally Posted by Utah Bob (Post 308922)

Hurtlocker is a typical piece of Hollywood crap. Maybe sometime in the next few years there will be some vets getting into the movie business and somebody might make an accurate film. Maybe.

I saw a much better flick last night on TV. Battleground, with Van Johnson and James Whitmore.

The most realistic I've seen to date is 84C MOPIC. A two man team of Army combat photographers follow a LRRP team on patrol.

I've only seen it once and that was about 20 years ago.

Pat

ETA: It's not a real documentary...it's fiction.

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Originally Posted by PSM (Post 308926)

Correction: It's 84 Charlie MOPIC.

It's available on VHS on Amazon.

I rented Hurt Locker, it was Dirty Harry and Rambo all in one.

Mind you I have no experience, but it seemed to me the main character took too many risks and in a real world scenario his life expectancy would have been too short to have defused 800+ IED's.

Completely overrated.

I finally watched it this evening. There were way too many flaws for me to enjoy it. I will be fair and say there were some accurate depictions of the landscape and the people. Overall, I didn't care for it.

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Originally Posted by wet dog (Post 307786)

99.9% of the target audience who views this film will think that's the way it is....

I'm taking the advise of friends and staying home.

Very true,I've had people "first" tell me how great the movie was,then ask me if it's really like that? :rolleyes:

Big Teddy :munchin

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Originally Posted by Dozer523 (Post 307228)

Outstanding!.............;)

Big Teddy :munchin

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Maybe sometime in the next few years there will be some vets getting into the movie business and somebody might make an accurate film. Maybe.

Well, Michael Bay uses active duty military in his movies whenever possiible. Not saying He gets it right all the time but the thought is there. In the end, it's still just a movie.

the following is from a Transformers related interview with the cast. Megan Fox's comment is telling.

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What was your most favorite or memorable experience of working with members of the military?

Megan Fox: "I think just in general I was really pleasantly, not surprised with them, but they're all extremely chivalrous and very respectful, clearly, because they're disciplined. They're so much better behaved than the rest of the cast is, including myself though. They listen and take direction really well and we're all just f--king off."

Michael Bay: "If they could all be like that..."

Megan Fox: "It adds authenticity to the movie. Michael, you consult with the military on everything to make it authentic and make it real. And I also just enjoy being able to walk on the set and there's a hundred real soldiers, as opposed to walking on and it’s a hundred actors from Orange County or L.A. in fatigues. It was just overall a really pleasant experience for me and I have an immense amount of respect for the soldiers and for our troops."

Yes the troops are chivalrous but I bet at least half of them were thinking, "I would hit that in a new york heartbeat, given half the chance." :)

Another Article on Bay

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By Joe Davidson

Special to American Forces Press Service

LOS ANGELES, June 23, 2009 – “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” hits theaters nationwide tomorrow as the culmination of more than a year of Defense Department support, ranging from script and uniform notes to C-17 aerial maneuvers and jumps from the Army’s Golden Knights parachute demonstration team.

The first Transformers film released in July 2007 used a variety of Air Force assets. In the latest film, DreamWorks and Paramount studios partnered with all four services to highlight America’s military members and combat power on the big screen. Deciding how and why to work with the services was essential in making the film work, producers said. “There are really a lot of similarities between a military operation and a movie production,” said Army Lt. Col. Greg Bishop, the department’s project officer for the movie. “The mobility of the operation, the logistics and planning required, and the problem-solving skills required to pull the whole thing off are very much alike.” Transformers executive producer and director Michael Bay has worked with military leaders on other films and frequently consults with them to make action sequences in his movies appear more authentic.   ”You know the first thing we’re going to look at is that if you’re going to fight these 32- to 125-foot robots, who else would you fight them with?” Transformers producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura said.   Like its predecessors, the latest Transformers movie uses hundreds of military members from all the services and from throughout the country to make the film feel more realistic.   ”I enjoyed being able to walk on the set and there are a hundred real soldiers as opposed to walking on and it’s a hundred actors from Orange County or L.A. in fatigues,” said Megan Fox, the film’s female lead actor. “It was just an overall pleasant experience, and I have an immense amount of respect for the soldiers and for our troops.”   That realism extends to military equipment as jet fighters roar from the deck of an aircraft carrier to the recoiling sounds of M1-A1 Abrams tanks firing 120-mm rounds at their deceptive and at times overpowering foes.   ”What [the military] bring to it is obviously a sense of reality. But for us what is most interesting about it is our interaction with them,” di Bonaventura said. “Because you actually get to see these people who have made a life choice and the honesty of that choice comes through each and every time you meet these guys. So, for us, that’s the really exciting thing. We get to hang out at the base and see the joy they get out of being a part of us, and you also see us get affected by their level of commitment.”   This latest Transformers film shows an extreme example of what the military does in everyday life.   ”Though the ‘enemy’ in this film are alien robots, we strove to make the depiction of operations as realistic and accurate as possible,” said Capt. Bryon McGarry, the Air Force project officer for the movie. “As in real-world operations, we go to ‘war’ against the Decepticons in the film jointly to achieve coordinated, balanced and devastating results. If they ever came to Earth, we’d be ready for them.”   DreamWorks and Paramount pictures have given permission to provide special screenings of “Transformers, Revenge of the Fallen” at bases that provided support for the film and also aboard the USS John C. Stennis.   (Joe Davidson is assigned to The Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Utah Bob (Post 308922)

I saw a much better flick last night on TV. Battleground, with Van Johnson and James Whitmore.

You musta been in the 3rd Platoon...:D

One of the worst movies I have ever watched :rolleyes:

The Sniper scene took the cake :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Totally ridiculous

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Originally Posted by 18DWife (Post 309080)

The Sniper scene took the cake :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Totally ridiculous

You mean its unrealistic for an EOD tech to hit an insurgent on a dead run with an M107 that's not even zeroed to him??

:D

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Originally Posted by Kyobanim (Post 309069)

Well, Michael Bay uses active duty military in his movies whenever possiible. Not saying He gets it right all the time but the thought is there. In the end, it's still just a movie.

Alright, I'll give him that. I still think his movies suck though.

http://movies.about.com/od/thehurtlo...emy-renner.htm

Even the actor says it isn't real world.

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Jeremy Renner Talks About 'The Hurt Locker'

By Rebecca Murray, About.com Guide
"Jeremy Renner The Hurt Locker"

Jeremy Renner in 'The Hurt Locker.'
© Summit Entertainment
Summit Entertainment hopes to buck the trend with The Hurt Locker1, the dramatic story of an elite group of soldiers who risk their lives disarming bombs in combat situations. Serious films overall haven't done well at the box office in 2009, and films portraying anything to do with war haven't felt any love from audiences in years. But The Hurt Locker star Jeremy Renner says that although this film definitely has to do with soldiers – and is based on journalist/screenwriter Mark Boal's observations made while he was embedded with an Army bomb unit in Baghdad – he views it more as an intense character study that just happens to focus on soldiers.

"This is not about the war on terror so much to me," explained Renner at the film's LA press day. "It was about an interesting job and fascinating characters to me. It could have been truly about bullfighters or bullriders or some job I'm not really familiar with, and I'd still think it's fascinating. And you throw in these characters and the whole thing and that's what it is to me."

Renner was totally unfamiliar with the Army's elite Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) squad before he was attached to star in The Hurt Locker, but once he got involved in the project, he met with the real men who perform this dangerous work. Although their work goes mostly unreported, this elite unit is responsible for saving the lives of countless soldiers and civilians.

Renner's character in the film, Staff Sergeant William James, takes over a unit and is viewed by his men as an unorthodox leader who disregards established safety procedures. In reality, Renner says the things his character does wouldn't happen in real life scenarios. "There was one guy that did this stuff. He would go up to 155 [artillery round] and see all this stuff and he would kick it. He'd say, 'Oh, it didn't go off. I won. Whatever.' That's how he thought, that's how he went about things. One guy though - that's not what normal EOD guys would do. Like the UN building where the car is on fire and they know there's no 155s in it, well they have a saying in the EOD - and I wish I could remember it - but, 'If you see me running, you better run faster.' If the EODs hauling ass, get the hell out of there. So they would be running the other way, unless however the President was inside that building. Otherwise forget it, run the other direction."

In order to get ready for the role, Renner also did weeks of intense physical training. But according to the actor, it was his time spent with the men who did this job that really helped inform his character.

"I only wanted to be informed about the movie we're making and have it be about EOD and not about boot camp," said Renner about his approach to tackling the character. "It was a great opportunity to sit down with these guys and pick their brain, and learn not as much about them and what they do - until you get a little bit more booze inside of them - because everything's, 'Top secret, top secret,' so I know I'm asking good questions. I'm like, 'What about those things at like Ralph's and the sensors and they open doors, why don't they just use that to set off?' They're like, 'It's top secret. We can't tell you.' Everything was top secret, so I knew I was asking good questions. So all those questions I asked when it was top secret, I asked again when they were in my apartment. Or not even just those, but just more personal questions because they're on base, they're very professional and very straightforward. But when I got a couple of the guys to hang out and just be human beings, it was really interesting and also very telling of like how they were."

"I remember we're sitting at a bar eating a burger, and this guy that I'm with is a monster of a dude. Just a linebacker-built of a guy and he's pretty nervous, and it's the middle of the day. I'm like, 'What's wrong, dude?' And he's like, 'I'm not very comfortable sitting with my back to the door.' And I'm like, 'Why?' 'I'm just thinking of an exit plan, which window I'm jumping through. I have like three exit plans already.' I'm like, 'Let's sit somewhere where you're more comfortable.' I'm sitting there having a beer, like, 'La-la-la-la-la,' but I'm noticing that he's tense. That's just telling to me of a thousand different things of what goes through his mind. That's interesting to me."

Getting into the character physically was an adjustment for Renner. As Staff Sergeant William James, Renner had to wear a special, heavy suit. "It was hell but it was... It's two things. It's informing and it was hell. It informed my character a lot," explained Renner. "Physically, I thought I was in good shape and then I'd find I was sore around the shoulders carrying the gun around. But then it just became an emotional and spiritual thing after the first week. I didn't feel sore anymore. "

It helped that Renner didn't have to stay in the suit for long periods of time while shooting The Hurt Locker. "I'd probably say about 45 minutes for the test - that was the longest I stayed in it. And then during the movie, I was in maybe 25 minutes, half hour. The helmet would come off for sure. I couldn't keep the helmet on for longer than 25 minutes because it was too hot. There's lots of parts to the suit, there's a diaper - there's all these thousands of parts - so a lot of times I wouldn't want to take the whole thing off but take the weight off of my shoulders and just wear the suspenders and the pants and the diaper. The diaper is Kevlor - the whole thing is to protect you from shrapnel. It's not really a diaper," said Renner, laughing.

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Originally Posted by LR27 (Post 309116)

You mean its unrealistic for an EOD tech to hit an insurgent on a dead run with an M107 that's not even zeroed to him??

:D

I also love how erratic his shooting is. He finds his offsets on the insurgents on the roof, then can't seem to use the same offsets for the insurgent out in the open but miraculously can remember them plus calculate the lead as he is running. Then dementia sets in and he forgets his offsets once again as he returns to fire on the building occupants. Someone should have let the writer know that optics have little round turrets on the top and side. God knows he had enough time to dial it in. As a side note, has anyone seen blood stop an M107 from striping a round out of a magazine?

But enough said, as most have already indicated, this is hollywood and we can't expect reality. And what percentage of the viewing populous do you think believe this is, in truth, the way it is?

-H2S

It must be good, look at the Oscar nominations!

Just got nominated for 9 count 'em NINE Oscars.:eek: Hollyweird is all a-gaga over it.
The director used to be married to James Cameron. (who also received 9 for Avatar)
I'd like to know who the tech advisors were for this film, maybe Blackwater dudes?

Amazing. 9 nominations for a great movie and 9 nominations for a stinker.

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Originally Posted by Pete S (Post 276119)

You know, I love to watch movies, but I get sick of seeing military movies that are so completely steeped in bullshit.
I'm an AF cop and I picked up on all of this crap. Why do they do this? Why not make it realistic? Oh, I forgot....because showing some guy/gal sitting in a tower or at a checkpoint for hours on end doing nothing would be BORING, but realistic, and we all know how well REALISM goes over with folks these days....:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Utah Bob (Post 313208)

I'd like to know who the tech advisors were for this film, maybe Blackwater dudes?

Ouch. That was cold. :p

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I suppose it's because as you QPs and other military folk are saying, that the critics looking at it have no idea what they are looking at.

Or, maybe they do...and just don't give a rat's patootie about such things. Maybe their experience with "the military" is sitting at a bar next to one of the many posers out there who proceeds to fill said critic with the "There I was..." bs they all seem to have.
Just a thought...