Will 'Hurt Locker' Be Hurt By Controversies?

Mar. 4, 2010— -- Best picture frontrunner "The Hurt Locker" has been hammered by controversies just days before the Academy Awards, but none of them will likely change Sunday's outcome.

That is because voting closed Tuesday, and most academy members mailed their ballots in earlier. It's also unlikely that academy members are following the charges being lobbed against the film as closely as the media are, said Greg Kilday, film editor for the Hollywood Reporter.

Nevertheless, there are hurt feelings swirling around the Iraq War film.

A lawsuit filed yesterday is the latest controversy to beset the film. On Tuesday, one of the film's producers was banned from attending the Oscars after he sent e-mails promoting his film. Last week, members of the U.S. military complained about the depictions of soldiers in the film.

"It's a little bit surprising that most of these controversies are happening at the tail end when they could have taken place at any time in the last six months," Kilday said. "Essentially they are taking place after the polls closed. The votes have already been cast by the time these stories have surfaced in the press."

The film is nominated for nine Oscars, including best picture, best director and best screenplay. Star Jeremy Renner is also nominated for best actor.

Kilday does not forsee much discussion about the controversies at Sunday's show either. Although if "The Hurt Locker" wins the Oscar for best picture, the three producers who go to the podium to accept may mention the fourth, Nicolas Chartier, whose tickets to Sunday's ceremony were rescinded.

Chartier sent an e-mail to a group of colleagues, including academy members, asking them to choose "The Hurt Locker" for best picture and "not the $500-million film" -- a clear reference to "Avatar."

The message was considered a violation of the academy's ban against creating a negative impression of a rival nominee and the academy took the unprecedented step of banning Chartier.

The academy stopped short of disallowing the film from competing. Should "Hurt Locker" win, Chartier will receive his Oscar at a later date.Screenwriter Mark Boal in Iraq