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Action thriller

The Hurt Locker (2009): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Hurt Locker (2009) movie poster

The Hurt Locker is a 2009 action thriller directed by Kathryn Bigelow, starring Anthony Mackie, Jeremy Renner and Brian Geraghty. It runs 2 hours 11 minutes and earned $49.3 million worldwide on a $15 million budget. It won 3 Oscars, including Best Picture and Directing, and 13 awards in all. Critics gave it 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 95 on Metacritic.

Rotten Tomatoes
96%
worldwide gross
$49.3M
Oscars won
3
Metascore
95
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The Hurt Locker (2009) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 11m (131 min)
Director
Kathryn Bigelow
Genres
Action , Drama , Thriller , War
Original language
English
Budget
$15M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Hurt Locker About?

The premise of The Hurt Locker without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

During the Iraq War, a team of U.S. Army bomb disposal experts faces constant danger as they work to disarm improvised explosive devices. Sergeant James Murtaugh, a skilled but unorthodox leader, clashes with his team members, Sergeant Jeffords and Specialist Avila, whose caution and adherence to protocol are challenged by his willingness to take risks. As they navigate the volatile environment of Baghdad, the team confronts not only the physical threat of the bombs but also the psychological toll of their work and the complex dynamics within the unit.

The Hurt Locker Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • disarming a bomb
  • bomb
  • iraq
  • iraq war
  • strapped to a bomb
  • suicide bomber
  • moral dilemma
  • soldier
  • explosive
  • u.s. army
  • plastic explosive
  • panic
+38 more
  • booby trap
  • explosion
  • car bomb
  • sniper
  • military
  • improvised explosive device
  • bomb suit
  • handheld camera
  • slow motion scene
  • psychiatrist
  • street vendor
  • human bomb
  • summary execution
  • murder
  • impulsiveness
  • bomb squad
  • shot in the leg
  • recklessness
  • paranoia
  • mercenary
  • male bonding
  • fear of death
  • bomb detonation device
  • corpse
  • exploding body
  • supermarket
  • street market
  • desert
  • invasion
  • national film registry
  • opening action scene
  • die hard scenario
  • child swearing
  • running out of ammo
  • bombing
  • gun held to head
  • suicide
  • friendly fire
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Cast & crew

The Hurt Locker Cast

Anthony Mackie leads the cast, with Jeremy Renner and Brian Geraghty. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

From the director

More from Kathryn Bigelow

More films directed by Kathryn Bigelow, best-rated first: Zero Dark Thirty, Near Dark, Strange Days and Detroit.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Hurt Locker Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Hurt Locker 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and 95 on Metacritic.

Plot

The Hurt Locker Plot Summary

What happens in The Hurt Locker from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

During the second year of the Iraq War, a U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from Bravo Company is on a mission to neutralize an improvised explosive device utilizing a robot. However, when the vehicle transporting the trigger charge fails, Team Leader Staff Sergeant Matthew Thompson bravely steps in to place the charge manually. Tragically, he meets a grim fate when an Iraqi insurgent detonates the charge remotely using a cell phone. This incident leaves his squadmate, Specialist Owen Eldridge, grappling with guilt for not being able to eliminate the individual responsible.

Full summary

The whole story of The Hurt Locker, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Hurt Locker Box Office & Budget

The Hurt Locker grossed $49.3 million worldwide on a $15 million budget, 3.3 times what it cost. $17 million came from the US and Canada and $32.2 million (65%) from the rest of the world.

2009 box office

Worldwide gross

$49.3M

3.3× its budget

US & Canada
$17M
International
$32.2M
Budget
$15M
US & Canada 35% Rest of the world 65%
Awards

The Hurt Locker Awards & Nominations

The Hurt Locker won 3 Oscars, including Best Picture and Directing, and 13 awards in all. Its biggest night was the BAFTA 2010, with 6 wins from 8 nominations.

13 wins31 nominations8 ceremonies

Show all 8 ceremonies
Videos

The Hurt Locker Trailers & Videos

3 videos: 1 trailer and 2 featurettes.

THE HURT LOCKER - Trailer HD
  • Featurette Jeremy Renner & Anthony Mackie THE HURT LOCKER SA09 RedCarpet
  • Featurette CNN: Cast from the film discussing 'The Hurt Locker'
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Hurt Locker?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who leads Bravo Company's Explosive Ordnance Disposal team at the beginning of the film?

Cars

Cars in The Hurt Locker

26 cars on screen, including the AM General HMMWV and the 1998 Hyundai Sonata.

All 26 cars
  • AM General HMMWV in The Hurt Locker AM General HMMWV Main role
  • 1998 Hyundai Sonata in The Hurt Locker 1998 Hyundai Sonata Important role
  • 2004 Chevrolet Epica in The Hurt Locker 2004 Chevrolet Epica Minor role
  • 2005 Ford Excursion in The Hurt Locker 2005 Ford Excursion Minor role
Details

The Hurt Locker Also Known As

35 alternative titles, including “Tödliches Kommando” and “Vivir al límite”.

Also known as
  • Tödliches Kommando
  • Vivir al límite
  • Atrapados en Irak
  • Démineurs
  • Guerra ao Terror
  • ハート・ロッカー:2008
  • En tierra hostil
  • Toedliches Kommando The Hurt Locker
  • Echipa de foc
  • Tödliches Kommando - The Hurt Locker
  • Повелитель бури
  • A bombák földjén
+23 more
  • Ölümcül Tuzak
  • Estado de Guerra
  • 拆弹部队
  • The Hurt Locker: W Pułapce Wojny
  • Smrt čeká všude
  • Smrť čaká všade
  • מטען הכאב
  • ハート・ロッカー
  • 허트 로커
  • Misiuni periculoase
  • หน่วยระห่ำ ปลดล็อกระเบิดโลก
  • Володар Бурі
  • Войната е опиат
  • 危機倒數
  • Zona de miedo
  • 拆彈雄心
  • Išminuotojų Būrys
  • Sapieris
  • Chiến Dịch Sói Sa Mạc
  • Narednik James
  • En terra hostil
  • Piinakamber
  • Démineur, ქარიშხლის მბრძანებელი

Seen The Hurt Locker?

FAQ

The Hurt Locker FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Hurt Locker, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Hurt Locker?

The Hurt Locker runs 2 hours 11 minutes (131 minutes).

When was The Hurt Locker released?

The Hurt Locker was released on June 26, 2009.

Who directed The Hurt Locker?

The Hurt Locker was directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

More films by Kathryn Bigelow

Who is in the cast of The Hurt Locker?

The Hurt Locker stars Anthony Mackie, Jeremy Renner and Brian Geraghty.

How much did The Hurt Locker make at the box office?

The Hurt Locker grossed $49.3 million worldwide ($17 million domestic, $32.2 million international) on a budget of $15 million.

How is The Hurt Locker rated?

The Hurt Locker has 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 95 on Metacritic and 73% on TMDB.

What awards did The Hurt Locker win?

The Hurt Locker won 13 awards from 31 nominations, including Best Cinematography at the BAFTA 2010.

Does The Hurt Locker have a post-credit scene?

No. The Hurt Locker has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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