Film acting at its core is designed to replicate the way we, humans, naturally behave to a certain degree. Certain films may feature characters more believable than others on their exterior, but an essential quality of nearly every protagonist is to be imperfect. Just as humans are flawed on an individual basis, characters in film have their own unique set of disadvantages. Because of this, we see a reflection of ourselves in the character as they are always looking to improve themselves or overcome a major conflict in some cases. A flawless protagonist leaves nothing to be accomplished, nothing to gain, and nothing to overcome. The Hurt Locker (Bigelow 2008) presents a distinct perspective of modern conflicts. However, the film would not express
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While he is extremely good at his job as an ordinance disposal expert, his major flaw takes a toll on his ability to protect the men in his squad. When James and his crew meet the British mercenaries, he manages to keep his cool when they are under fire. Through the encounters the men have in the first part of the film, his flaw allows him to actually help his squad mates. Later, however, his overambitious nature causes him to lose a grip on situations. When Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) is being captured, James tries to fix the situation he has caused, but he ends up creating a larger problem after accidentally shooting Eldridge. The series of events would not have happened, though, if James was not mentally distorted. As a person in a role of leader ship, his qualities make him a problem creator instead of a problem solver. Because of this, the audience becomes deeply invested into the character of James. Viewers are naturally curious as to why he is this way and what may come from it.
While film provides excellent examples of flawed protagonists, other forms of art such as literature or painting can also tell stories of a character’s fall and rise. It is these stories that people are intrinsically fascinated by. The Hurt Locker presents a protagonist whose flaw not only poses challenges for the character but also presents a significant question concerning war and
While he is extremely good at his job as an ordinance disposal expert, his major flaw takes a toll on his ability to protect the men in his squad. When James and his crew meet the British mercenaries, he manages to keep his cool when they are under fire. Through the encounters the men have in the first part of the film, his flaw allows him to actually help his squad mates. Later, however, his overambitious nature causes him to lose a grip on situations. When Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) is being captured, James tries to fix the situation he has caused, but he ends up creating a larger problem after accidentally shooting Eldridge. The series of events would not have happened, though, if James was not mentally distorted. As a person in a role of leader ship, his qualities make him a problem creator instead of a problem solver. Because of this, the audience becomes deeply invested into the character of James. Viewers are naturally curious as to why he is this way and what may come from it.
While film provides excellent examples of flawed protagonists, other forms of art such as literature or painting can also tell stories of a character’s fall and rise. It is these stories that people are intrinsically fascinated by. The Hurt Locker presents a protagonist whose flaw not only poses challenges for the character but also presents a significant question concerning war and