The Hurt Locker” won big at the Oscars, making history in the process: Kathryn Bigelow is the first woman to win in the “Best Director” category. Did “The Hurt Locker” deserve it? What is the Academy trying to say by this sweeping bestowal of accolades? “The Hurt Locker” is a fine movie with bold sound, “youare- there” cinematography and some incredible acting. Part of Bigelow’s genius and artistic vision is that she slowed down much of the action to very long, yet tense and riveting scenes that require your full attention and appreciation. There have been several other movies made about the war in the Middle East, but none have captured imaginations until “The Hurt Locker.” Why? Perhaps because “The Hurt Locker” doesn’t seem to say anything political, doesn’t seem to take sides. Some criticize Bigelow for not overtly condemning war with her movie, but she defends herself by saying her movie shows what war is and what it does to people on both sides. She did portray the Iraqi people as real characters. Nobody’s life is more real than anyone else’s; every life is precious. No one is demonized, no one is canonized, and yet the moral framework of every situation, every decision to be made, stands tall. The main character, SSG William James (Jeremy Renner, nominated for Best Actor) is a not a typical or orthodox soldier. But he’s a very good soldier, one of the best, which makes one question what it takes to be a good soldier. As has been said in other reviews, James is a creature of war. But I thought he would be portrayed as a little crazy. But he’s not. He’s sane and kind to all. After all, his job is not combat, it’s protecting lives. My fear and complaint about “The Hurt Locker” are primarily visual. Although James is not a combatant, is he not still the image of the immortal, invulnerable American warrior? His heart in the right place in a war without end, a war with endless resources. Was “The Hurt Locker” deserving of all this praise? Yes, although not as consistently excellent as “Precious.” And what are the Tinseltown powers- that-be telling us by this choice? Hollywood — at first unsure about our present wars — has come around to a kind of unmitigated support of them. Do they feel guilty? Grateful? Or are they just saying that “The Hurt Locker” is high-quality entertainment? Can war be entertainment? “The Hurt Locker” raises lots of questions and so do its awards. The USCCB does not have a rating for this film.