The Hurt Locker is a war film set in Iraq during the Iraq War and fits into the action-adventure genre. The plot is about a three-man defusing team consisting of James, Sanborn and Elridge who find themselves in extreme, life-threatening situations where they must defuse explosives during violent conflicts. The director, Kathryn Bigelow, did a good job with the staging, making the setting overall extremely believable, giving a sense of realism to the film. The staging of the film creates believable Iraq War settings with the use of costumes, weapons and all the grime and filth present in the locations that sell the idea. Sounds and symbolism are used to show the strong tension between the soldiers. The film also compares James' time in Iraq and his life in America using the supermarket scene. The idea represented in this film is the addiction to war which can be seen in James. There are many elements in the film that give a very authentic feel to the setting. In the film, the buildings all look like they are from the Middle West, covered in dried mud, and a desert scene is shown that gives the impression of a country that lives in poverty and is an extremely hot country. The costume adds realism to the scene where locals wear traditional Muslim clothing accompanied by burkas. The costume and soldiers use points to show that they are affiliated with the US Army such as the M4 carbine they carry around and their uniform with combat boots, sand-colored shirts and helmet covers. The M4 carbine has sights attached in the film and lens reflection can be seen when the gun moves, adding further realism and suggesting that this is an expensive piece of equipment. The emphasis on the thickness of the de...... middle of the paper ...... risking his life on the battlefield. However, James' addiction to war put him back into the field, dismantling more bombs. Bigelow's use of mise-en-sense is effective as it creates a realistic and believable setting. The costume and weapon details in the film further add to the realism of the situation. We also get some sense of what James is going through using camera techniques, clever lighting schemes and dialogue. This all ties into the theme of war addiction, thus elaborating on the message shown at the opening of the film. I think camera movement is overused. I understand that it's to engage the audience and show how disorienting and uncomfortable the situation is, however excessive camera movement can be annoying in my opinion. Works Cited http://www.cinemablography.org/supermarket-scene.html