A Soldier’s Story: American Sniper
Clint Eastwood directs the life story about Navy Seal Sniper Chris Kyle who was herald as the most dangerous sniper in U.S. history. The film is based off of Kyle’s book of the same name.
The film begins with Chris (Bradley Cooper) on a rooftop watching as a convoy is moving through a war torn town and a man sees them. He makes a call and them leaves. Moments later, a woman and a boy exit a building carrying a grenade and as both move towards the convey Kyle makes the tough decision and kills both.
American Sniper portrays Kyle in two ways. On one hand, he is an American Hero who is praised for what he does and well respected by soldiers who gives him the nickname “Legend” for his actions on the battle field. Then he is shown as a man who struggles with living a normal life when he is with his wife Taya (Sienna Miller) or just dealing with day to day living when not in the war-zone.
As a fan of war films and movies about snipers, I thought that Eastwood did a very good job of directing the action scenes. Especially the scenes where Kyle struggles with weather or not to kill the mother and son is done very well with how the tension is built up. I’m sure most people who see the film will look at that differently.
Bradley Cooper does a fine job as Chris Kyle there are a few scenes that Cooper showcases his range and just let’s his facial expresses speak for him which shows his growth as an actor. I will say that the scenes of him during his tours of duty are better then the ones where he’s not. I don’t think Cooper really deserved an Oscar nod for this performance, even though it’s a good performance but it’s not that good especially when there were a few better that deserved a nod.
I thought Sienna Miller was good but there did seem to be some lack of chemistry between her and Cooper in a few scenes between the two that somewhat took me out of the film. But with that being said she was good with what she was given to do.
I know that the real life Chris Kyle and the film has been at the center of a few controversies a few of them I agree with and a few I don’t. Calling the film a propaganda film is some what of a cheap shot when in fact all war movies can be looked at as so. But if you just look at the movie as a movie and not read to too much into it then I think it’s one of the better films dealing with soldiers at war, how it affects them, and their families are brought to the attention as well.
All in all is American Sniper a perfect film. No it is not. Does it deserve some of the backlash that it’s been getting? Yes and no. Is it a film that should be seen? I believe so. So if you do see the movie try to judge it first just off the movie more so then anything first and then worry about the other stuff separate because it’s not the first movie like this and probably will not be the last one like it as well.
