don't think I'll change my mind though ..it really felt like the direct had no direction of her own at all ..at one point movie was all about how war is addictive..at another it was loathing war at another it was glorifying war ..and acting was pretty average too...looked like as if movie wanted to address many subjects at a time and failed horribly at it. really cross of iron is very preferable to this. it at least had some interestingly memorable characters.
hurt locker introduces us to the bravo company saying that the tour lasts for 30 more days before they get to go home. And all the stuff that happens throughout the movie is happening within this 30 day time frame.
At the end of the movie when the guy comes back to Delta Company, we see that the tour lasts for 365 days!
So what we saw within the movie is what they go through on a monthly basis for a whole YEAR! The disarming team puts their life on the line every day for a whole YEAR before they get to go home to see their families and that too, only if they actually survive it.
THAT is heavy load to bare.
The impact of the movie comes at the end and it makes you reflect the actions of each character based on this new perspective.
For that, I think the director deserves the award she got. Cause this seems to be a rather unique way to tell the story.