Tonight I saw a movie called The Hurt Locker. (Trust me when I say that it pains me that I cannot figure out how to underline that movie title. Grammatical errors are gross!) It is actually pretty impressive that I have blogged for this long without mentioning a film. See, I love movies. I love movies almost as much as I love books and that is ALOT.
Anyway. I had originally planned on skipping this "war film" because I do not like "war films" as a general rule. However, I was offered a chance to see it and after listening to my buddy laud its merits, I decided to check it out.
Wow. Stunning. I cannot stop thinking about it. The movie takes place in Iraq in 2004, but it really could be taking place in Afghanistan, 2009. There are E.O.D men and women who spend countless hours day in and out saving lives by dismantling bombs. This is something I do not think about on a regular basis. This is something that I have never really thought about at all. I do not think about the people who literally risk their lives every day for a rush of adrenaline and heroism. Should I be thinking about it more? The director said that in general she has received a positive response from the military and that the E.O.D. squads have a sense of pride about their lives being dramatized for civilians to see. They want us to know a little bit about what it's like and maybe even be impressed or awed. Or maybe I am projecting.
See the film. Think about a life that is so very different from your own. And maybe say a prayer or two.