‘Avatar’ vs. ‘The Hurt Locker’

Will wonders nevercease? Or have the Oscars redressed their sometimes-dubious reputation bynominating an unheralded, gritty, independent war film of unlikely audienceappeala film barely screened before being rushed to DVD and that grossedonly $12 million? With nine nominations, The Hurt Locker has not only become the prestige favorite amongreviewers, but also challenges the $2 billion popularity of Avatar.

In the past, Oscarpolitics have always afforded a curiously unpredictable compromise between boxoffice popularity, artistic status and behind-the-scenes favoritism. Lastyear the glitzy, over-hyped SlumdogMillionaire shut out superior, if downbeat, films such as Doubt and The Reader.

A conservativecaution still hovers over the Academy. The controversial but quiet artistry of2005’s BrokebackMountain lost the Best Picture award to a piece of social drivel (Crash) despite its international acclaimand great box office. The same fate may fall to the unusual Hurt Locker at envelope time.

Both films share anaesthetic similarity. The tragic subtlety of Brokeback is not unlike the psychological changes driving thesimple men in The Hurt Locker. Theydo not perceive the dynamic undercurrent that will alter their destinies,forces apparent only to the audience. Reprising the Rosebud symbolism in Citizen Kane, the most pregnantmoment in The Hurt Locker takes placein a supermarket.

The qualities of theimmensely popular Avatar are not soeasily dismissed, however. Those expecting to see another advanced case of thesci-fi technotrash so dear to the hearts of the young were shocked to discovera movie described even by TheNew Yorker as a “beautiful work” withmany lovely, lyric moments. Like TheWizard of Oz, it offered fantasy in a charming package. Even the obligatoryaction scenes were unexpectedly imaginative. Although James Cameron’s Avatar is far more sophisticated thanhis previous blockbuster, Titanic, hemay yet lose the Best Director trophy to HurtLocker’s Kathryn Bigelow.

Of the othernominations, only Precious hadmuch to offer. This savagely cruel study of the under-culture ofpoverty contains the best performance of the year, by nominee Mo’Nique. Shemade cruelty seem necessary, ordinary, yet poignant.

Also in the runningis the cheesy Inglourious Basterds,another of Quentin Tarantino’s contemptuously clever efforts to thumb hisnose at the audience and make them love it. Yet his style remains deliciously lowbrow.Supporting Actor nominee Christoph Waltz tries, sometimes intermittently, tointroduce a touch of class.

None of the majoracting nominees set new marks, although a good guess would be that predictablywarmhearted performances by Sandra Bullock and Jeff Bridges might melt theAcademy’s heart.

The Academy balks attoo-easy predictions, thriving on the suspense they mistake for discretion. Avatar has too much going for it tolose, but alone among this year’s contenders, The Hurt Locker is the work of art. n