The Hurt Locker Quotes
During the Iraq War, a Sergeant recently assigned to an army bomb squad is put at odds with his squad mates due to his maverick way of handling his work.
Staff Sergeant William James: [Speaking to his son] You love playing with that. You love playing with all your stuffed animals. You love your Mommy, your Daddy. You love your pajamas. You love everything, don't ya? Yea. But you know what, buddy? As you get older... some of the things you love might not seem so special anymore. Like your Jack-in-a-Box. Maybe you'll realize it's just a piece of tin and a stuffed animal. And the older you get, the fewer things you really love. And by the time you get to my age, maybe it's only one or two things. With me, I think it's one.
Colonel Reed: You the guy in the flaming car, Sergeant James?
Staff Sergeant William James: Afternoon, sir. Uh, yes, sir.
Colonel Reed: Well, that's just hot shit. You're a wild man, you know that?
Staff Sergeant William James: Uh, yes, sir.
Colonel Reed: He's a wild man. You know that? I want to shake your hand.
Staff Sergeant William James: Thank you, sir.
Colonel Reed: Yeah. How many bombs have you disarmed?
Staff Sergeant William James: Uh, I'm not quite sure.
Colonel Reed: Sergeant?
Staff Sergeant William James: Yes, sir.
Colonel Reed: I asked you a question.
Staff Sergeant William James: Eight hundred seventy-three, sir.
Colonel Reed: Eight hundred! And seventy-three. Eight hundred! And seventy-three. That's just hot shit. Eight hundred and seventy-three.
Staff Sergeant William James: Counting today, sir, yes.
Colonel Reed: That's gotta be a record. What's the best way to... go about disarming one of these things?
Staff Sergeant William James: The way you don't die, sir.
Colonel Reed: That's a good one. That's spoken like a wild man. That's good.
Staff Sergeant William James: Afternoon, sir. Uh, yes, sir.
Colonel Reed: Well, that's just hot shit. You're a wild man, you know that?
Staff Sergeant William James: Uh, yes, sir.
Colonel Reed: He's a wild man. You know that? I want to shake your hand.
Staff Sergeant William James: Thank you, sir.
Colonel Reed: Yeah. How many bombs have you disarmed?
Staff Sergeant William James: Uh, I'm not quite sure.
Colonel Reed: Sergeant?
Staff Sergeant William James: Yes, sir.
Colonel Reed: I asked you a question.
Staff Sergeant William James: Eight hundred seventy-three, sir.
Colonel Reed: Eight hundred! And seventy-three. Eight hundred! And seventy-three. That's just hot shit. Eight hundred and seventy-three.
Staff Sergeant William James: Counting today, sir, yes.
Colonel Reed: That's gotta be a record. What's the best way to... go about disarming one of these things?
Staff Sergeant William James: The way you don't die, sir.
Colonel Reed: That's a good one. That's spoken like a wild man. That's good.
Contractor Team Leader: We have a flat tire, can you help us?
Staff Sergeant William James: Sure, yeah. You got any spares?
Contractor Team Leader: Well, we have spares, but we used up our wrench.
Staff Sergeant William James: How do you use up a wrench?
Contractor Team Leader: Well, the uh, guy over there with the red thing on his head, he threw it at someone.
Staff Sergeant William James: Ha ha! Alright.
[gives thumbs up to Eldridge]
Contractor Team Leader: Thank you.
[introduces the soldiers]
Contractor Team Leader: This is Chris. This is the wrench man.
Staff Sergeant William James: Hello, Wrench Man.
Contractor Team Leader: That's Jimmy.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: You know you can shoot people here. You don't have to throw wrenches.
Contractor Feisal: Fuck off!
Staff Sergeant William James: Sure, yeah. You got any spares?
Contractor Team Leader: Well, we have spares, but we used up our wrench.
Staff Sergeant William James: How do you use up a wrench?
Contractor Team Leader: Well, the uh, guy over there with the red thing on his head, he threw it at someone.
Staff Sergeant William James: Ha ha! Alright.
[gives thumbs up to Eldridge]
Contractor Team Leader: Thank you.
[introduces the soldiers]
Contractor Team Leader: This is Chris. This is the wrench man.
Staff Sergeant William James: Hello, Wrench Man.
Contractor Team Leader: That's Jimmy.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: You know you can shoot people here. You don't have to throw wrenches.
Contractor Feisal: Fuck off!
Spc. Owen Eldridge: Aren't you glad the Army has all these tanks parked here? Just in case the Russians come and we have to have a big tank battle?
Sergeant JT Sanborn: I'd rather be on the side with the tanks, just in case, than not have them.
Spc. Owen Eldridge: Yeah, but they don't do anything. I mean, anyone comes alongside a Humvee, we're dead. Anybody even looks at you funny, we're dead. Pretty much the bottom line is, if you're in Iraq, you're dead. How's a fucking tank supposed to stop that?
Sergeant JT Sanborn: Would you shut the fuck up, Owen?
Spc. Owen Eldridge: Sorry. Just tryin' to scare the new guy.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: I'd rather be on the side with the tanks, just in case, than not have them.
Spc. Owen Eldridge: Yeah, but they don't do anything. I mean, anyone comes alongside a Humvee, we're dead. Anybody even looks at you funny, we're dead. Pretty much the bottom line is, if you're in Iraq, you're dead. How's a fucking tank supposed to stop that?
Sergeant JT Sanborn: Would you shut the fuck up, Owen?
Spc. Owen Eldridge: Sorry. Just tryin' to scare the new guy.
Staff Sergeant William James: I want my five bucks back, buddy.
Beckham: Five dollars for what, man? You crazy now?
Staff Sergeant William James: Yeah. The DVD you sold me was crap.
Beckham: You crazy, man. That's impossible. It's Hollywood special effects.
Staff Sergeant William James: No. It was shaky. It was out of focus, buddy.
Beckham: What, you want donkey porn?
Staff Sergeant William James: It's crap.
Beckham: Girls on dog? Gay sex, man? Anything you want, you get. I hook you up, man.
Beckham: Five dollars for what, man? You crazy now?
Staff Sergeant William James: Yeah. The DVD you sold me was crap.
Beckham: You crazy, man. That's impossible. It's Hollywood special effects.
Staff Sergeant William James: No. It was shaky. It was out of focus, buddy.
Beckham: What, you want donkey porn?
Staff Sergeant William James: It's crap.
Beckham: Girls on dog? Gay sex, man? Anything you want, you get. I hook you up, man.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: Welcome to Bravo Company. Welcome to Camp Victory.
Staff Sergeant William James: Ah, Camp Victory? I thought this was Camp Liberty.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: Ah, no, they changed that about a week ago. 'Victory' sounds better.
Staff Sergeant William James: Alright. Well, good. At least I know I'm in the right place, right?
Staff Sergeant William James: Ah, Camp Victory? I thought this was Camp Liberty.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: Ah, no, they changed that about a week ago. 'Victory' sounds better.
Staff Sergeant William James: Alright. Well, good. At least I know I'm in the right place, right?
Sergeant JT Sanborn: [as team mate approaches unexploded bomb] You know, these detonators misfire all the time.
Spc. Owen Eldridge: What are you doing?
Sergeant JT Sanborn: I'm just saying shit happens, they misfire.
Spc. Owen Eldridge: He'd be obliterated to nothing.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: His helmet would be left. You could have that. Little specs of hair charred on the inside.
Spc. Owen Eldridge: Yeah. There'd be half a helmet somewhere, bits of hair.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: Have to ask for a change in technique and protocol, and make sure this type of accident never happen again, you know? You'd have to write the report.
Spc. Owen Eldridge: Are you serious?
Sergeant JT Sanborn: I can't write it.
Spc. Owen Eldridge: What are you doing?
Sergeant JT Sanborn: I'm just saying shit happens, they misfire.
Spc. Owen Eldridge: He'd be obliterated to nothing.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: His helmet would be left. You could have that. Little specs of hair charred on the inside.
Spc. Owen Eldridge: Yeah. There'd be half a helmet somewhere, bits of hair.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: Have to ask for a change in technique and protocol, and make sure this type of accident never happen again, you know? You'd have to write the report.
Spc. Owen Eldridge: Are you serious?
Sergeant JT Sanborn: I can't write it.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: I'm ready to die, James.
Staff Sergeant William James: Well, you're not gonna die out here, bro.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: Another two inches, shrapnel zings by; slices my throat- I bleed out like a pig in the sand. Nobody'll give a shit. I mean my parents- they care- but they don't count, man. Who else? I don't even have a son.
Staff Sergeant William James: Well, you're gonna have plenty of time for that, amigo.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: Naw, man. I'm done. I want a son. I want a little boy, Will. I mean, how do you do it, you know? Take the risk?
Staff Sergeant William James: I don't know. I guess I don't think about it.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: But you realize every time you suit up, every time we go out, it's life or death. You roll the dice, and you deal with it. You recognize that don't you?
Staff Sergeant William James: Yea... Yea, I do. But I don't know why.
[sighs]
Staff Sergeant William James: I don't know, JT. You know why I'm the way I am?
Sergeant JT Sanborn: No, I don't.
Staff Sergeant William James: Well, you're not gonna die out here, bro.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: Another two inches, shrapnel zings by; slices my throat- I bleed out like a pig in the sand. Nobody'll give a shit. I mean my parents- they care- but they don't count, man. Who else? I don't even have a son.
Staff Sergeant William James: Well, you're gonna have plenty of time for that, amigo.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: Naw, man. I'm done. I want a son. I want a little boy, Will. I mean, how do you do it, you know? Take the risk?
Staff Sergeant William James: I don't know. I guess I don't think about it.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: But you realize every time you suit up, every time we go out, it's life or death. You roll the dice, and you deal with it. You recognize that don't you?
Staff Sergeant William James: Yea... Yea, I do. But I don't know why.
[sighs]
Staff Sergeant William James: I don't know, JT. You know why I'm the way I am?
Sergeant JT Sanborn: No, I don't.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: Maybe you shouldn't take this down. You know, we get a lot of mortars at night. You know, the plywood on the windows help with the lateral frag coming through. That's why it's up there.
Staff Sergeant William James: Yeah, well, it's not going to stop a mortar round from coming in through the roof, you know. Besides, I like the sunshine.
Staff Sergeant William James: Yeah, well, it's not going to stop a mortar round from coming in through the roof, you know. Besides, I like the sunshine.
Staff Sergeant William James: [to Iraqi street kid] I wanna buy another DVD. But, if it's shaky - look at me - out of focus, or any way not 100%, I'm gonna chop off your head with a dull knife. How do you feel about - I'm just kidding, I'm just kidding
[hands him his money]
Staff Sergeant William James: you're a good kid,
[hugging kid's head]
Staff Sergeant William James: you're a good kid, aren't ya...
[hands him his money]
Staff Sergeant William James: you're a good kid,
[hugging kid's head]
Staff Sergeant William James: you're a good kid, aren't ya...
Sergeant JT Sanborn: [looking at a photo from Will's box] Who's that?
Staff Sergeant William James: That's my son. He's a tough little bastard. Nothing like me.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: You mean to tell me you're married?
Staff Sergeant William James: Well, you know, I had a girlfriend and, uh, she got pregnant. So we got married, we got divorced. Or, you know, I thought we got divorced. I mean, she's still living in the house and she says we're still together, so I... I don't know. Wha-what does that make her? I don't know...
Sergeant JT Sanborn: Dumb... for still being with your ass.
[laughs]
Staff Sergeant William James: [kicks at Sanborn] Hey! She ain't fucking dumb, alright? She's just loyal. She's just loyal, that's all.
Staff Sergeant William James: That's my son. He's a tough little bastard. Nothing like me.
Sergeant JT Sanborn: You mean to tell me you're married?
Staff Sergeant William James: Well, you know, I had a girlfriend and, uh, she got pregnant. So we got married, we got divorced. Or, you know, I thought we got divorced. I mean, she's still living in the house and she says we're still together, so I... I don't know. Wha-what does that make her? I don't know...
Sergeant JT Sanborn: Dumb... for still being with your ass.
[laughs]
Staff Sergeant William James: [kicks at Sanborn] Hey! She ain't fucking dumb, alright? She's just loyal. She's just loyal, that's all.
