The Hurt Locker

Point Break director Kathryn Bigelow's 2004-set account of the lives of a US Army bomb-disposal squad in Iraq focuses on the men who voluntarily put themselves next to deadly IEDs (improvised explosive devices), as well as re-creating the terrifying, chaotic Baghdad in which they work. Covering the last 38 days the squad has left in Iraq, the film follows the contrasting attitude and philosophies of a trio of soldiers, including the risk-taking Staff Sgt William James (Jeremy Renner), all of whom are aware that every job they do is potentially their last. Bigelow, one of the very few women working in the traditionally male-dominated action and war genres, avoids both red wire/yellow wire cliché and political preaching to deliver a film that is as psychologically fascinating as it is taut and exciting. Ralph Fiennes and Guy Pearce are among the well-known faces in smaller roles.