DVD: The Hurt Locker, For retail & rental (Lionsgate)

The heroes of Kathryn Bigelow's urgent Iraq War drama belong to a three-man bomb disposal squad led by a cocksure maverick, Sgt William James (played by Jeremy Renner).

The superb, visceral set pieces keep you on the very edge of your seat, if not under it, but between those there's almost no narrative, no wider commentary on the war, and no exploration of how it is that Renner can stroll towards suspicious packages without giving a moment's thought to his potential obliteration.