Hurt Locker, arguably the strongest contender to sweep the Oscars has recently rocked their own boat by a foolish gaffe by one of their own. Hurt Locker's producer Nicholas Chartier sent out emails asking voters to rank "The Hurt Locker" at No. 1 and "Avatar" at No. 10. The email was 'accidentally' sent out to competitors such as Inglorious Bastards and Up in the Air members. Ouch. Even worse, war veterans are starting to speak up, and the verdict? Not all good. Newsweek reported on a large number of Iraq War veterans who were not pleased by the unrealistic portrayal of the "cowboy" reckless behaviour of Sgt. William James.
Newsweek All Pain, No Gain
I doubt this will deter the momentum of this film, it is without a doubt the darling of the year. Is it realistic? Hell no, I certainly hope a renegade soldier like Sgt. William James with so little respect for the life of soldiers doesn't exist, or at least would be discharged. A few soldiers have lauded the film but quite a few IED soldiers are fuming. I don't understand war, my grandparents tasted two World Wars and I'll never understand what they went through. My parents have seen atrocities that I can't even imagine. What is Hurt Locker? It's entertainment, some would call it art, but does it need to be any more than that?
War is a drug, and so is Hollywood.
