American Sniper Movie Review

"I was just protecting my guys, they were trying to kill... our soldiers and I... I'm willing to meet my Creator and answer for every shot that I took."

-Chris Kyle

In reviewing this film I'd like to make clear that I will solely be reviewing the film and not taking into consideration all the controversy that has surrounded it after it's release. I remember seeing that teaser trailer months before the film released and I was already hooked. Whether the film would be good or bad, there was no doubt that Clint Eastwood and his team knew what they were doing when putting that trailer together. There was intensity, action, the flashing of a life going by and all of it together creating a feeling of anticipation. It stars Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle and Sienna Miller plays his wife, directed by Clint Eastwood.

Clint Eastwood has definitely left a legacy in the film industry ever since he started his work decades ago. But as of recently Eastwood hasn't really been putting out any grand slams and this was his chance to be put back on the map in a big way. With a late December launch it already had an advantage. The film is based off of the book of the same title and follows Chris Kyle through his multiple tours of duty, tagging him as "the most lethal sniper in U.S. history" with 160 confirmed kills. American Sniper introduces us to Chris Kyle pre-9/11, living a simple life in Texas. When 9/11 does hit he doesn't hesitate in enlisting in the Navy Seals. He's swiftly deployed to fight the American war on terror and he was as patriotic as one could be, maybe even a bit too much. He didn't come in with the plan of being a sniper but he was such a good marksman that he was assigned to protect his fellow soldiers from above.

Kyle meets Taya his future wife at a bar and they have this instant chemistry. The film interestingly transitions between his home life with his family and his multiple tours of duty. Like with any war film, American Sniper doesn't shy away from the brutality of war. It does an excellent job of showing us that no one is really safe from the effects of war and there's collateral damage on both sides. What I really liked about the film wasn't Cooper just sniping people but how we see Kyle's internal struggle and his difficulty in separating the war from his life back home. In many instances we see the effects of his PTSD and not only how it effects him but his family as well. A point of contention for me was how intensely the enemy combatants in the film were dehumanized. It might have served to make it more realistic from the perspectives of the soldier, but it was definitely present.

American Sniper is amazing story of bravery, loss, life and death, love and hate. The film moved along at a comfortable pace and created a connection between the audience and Kyle. He undoubtedly saved countless lives doing what he had to do, no matter the toll it took on him personally. The fact that this is based on a real person makes this story that much more powerful. While Sienna Miller's performance was also moving, Bradley Cooper was phenomenal and gave one of his best performances to date. He even massively bulked up to better fit the role. On camera he truly became Chris Kyle and this is what good actors should do. I give American Sniper an 8 out of 10.