American Sniper (2015)

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jake McDorman, Sienna Miller, Mido Hamada

Plot: Following the incredibly beautiful and tragic story of the great American sniper, Chris Kyle.

Rating: 9/10

Overall: War film, so of course I had to see it. Never been a fan of Bradley Cooper, but my goodness, he is so wickedly talented—and this film is the perfect showcase for that. The film itself is based on the true story of Chris Kyle, which if you’re familiar with it at all, it is unfathomably beautiful, tragic and empowering. I feel like it’s wrong to compare this film to others, but after seeing Act of Valor and Lone Survivor, this film turned out to be surprisingly different—for me at least. It sort of forces you to witness things that real soldiers—and in this case, a real sniper—has to encounter during war, the aftermath of those encounters and the effects it has on their personal lives. I’ve always had immense respect for our military and for most people in authority. It’s just how I was raised. But after seeing this film, it sort of awakens you to the real struggles of our veterans. I only gave the film a 9 because I wanted more of his home life and the struggles of that. I wanted to see the experiences with the VA house and how he coped with his family struggles. The ending felt rushed, forced and throughout the film it felt like this amazing compilation of his tours, his time home, the mental and emotional struggles…and then you’re hit in the face with the end. You have no real time to let it sink in. It sort of just leaves you like, “Okay, he’s doing much better, helping other veterans cope, etc. OH. And then he died.” I don’t know, that’s just my opinion. But altogether, this film was absolutely breathtaking. It still manages to let all the emotions run their course through you.

2 responses to “American Sniper (2015)”

Mike Fuller Author

January 26, 2015 at 4:53 pm

Reblogged this on mikefullerauthor and commented:
Here is just one of many reviews on “American Sniper”. It’s short and to the point. I think it hits the necessary buttons. Everyone should see the film and judge for themselves,

But I don’t think anyone will come away from the movie without questioning their own perceptions of war and, in particular, the wars we have fought since 1945.

I can pick at some of the technical aspects of the film but that would only be from a Law Enforcement background. And those rules do not always apply to actual combat. My sense of what the film lacks is the reason we all know about Kyle, his life AFTER the SEALS. His book and the struggle to cope with his service. Eastwood only flirts with it. Kyle was a media star and taught us all so much from his candid and honest manner. It was a portion of his life that should have been given more time and energy,

But what do you think?

Reply
1. Lizz
  
  January 26, 2015 at 5:19 pm
  
  I think that’s a fair assessment. I loved the action/war scenes, but I definitely think Eastwood sort of missed the mark in capturing the true essence of the moral of Chris Kyle and his legacy he left behind. I think in delving into the aftermath of his tours and the struggles these veterans face – not just Chris – could give the film the punch that I think it truly deserved. It’s not a bad film, but I think if Eastwood could do it over, he should put more emphasis on the “recovery” aspect of veterans – especially seeing that it’s a recurring and important issue at hand that is often times overlooked in today’s society.
  
  Reply

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