How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from The Hurt Locker.
Quote #1
THOMPSON: Twenty-five.
SANBORN: Twenty-five meters, roger that. You are now in the kill zone.
THOMPSON: Thanks for reminding me.
SANBORN: That's what I'm here for, baby.
As Thompson approaches a bomb that needs to be neutralized, Sanborn lets him know via the radio that his current distance is within the bomb's "kill zone." Comforting.
Quote #2
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.
SANBORN: I'd rather be on the side with the tanks, just in case, than not have them.
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 f***ing tank supposed to stop that?
SANBORN: Will you shut the f*** up, Owen, please?
ELDRIDGE: Sorry. Just trying to scare the new guy.
As we've already mentioned elsewhere, Eldridge has trouble coping with the fact that they are surrounded by potential opportunities for instant death. He's pretending he wants to scare Will, but really he's working through his own awareness of how close death is at all times.
Quote #3
WILL: That wasn't so bad, our first time working together. What do you think?
SANBORN: Huh. I think us working together means I talk to you, and you talk to me.
WILL: We going on a date, Sanborn?
SANBORN: No, we're going on a mission, and my job is to keep you safe so we can keep going on missions.
WILL: It's combat, buddy.
ELDRIDGE: Hey, it's just 39 days.
SANBORN: Thirty-eight if we survive today.
Sanborn isn't as vocal about it as Eldridge, but he also must be thinking about how close they are to death pretty much all the time. Case in point: even though they've finished up their job, Sanborn still doesn't think it's a guarantee that they'll survive the day.