American Sniper

By: Robert Murphy

Movies about American patriots and movies about the ethics behind the war in Iraq have been a dime a dozen, Matt Damon's Green Zone comes to mind. But, American Sniper doesn't get bogged down by the ethics or really the fact that real life Chris Kyle was a legendary hero of the entire conflict, even though he racked up an estimated 160 kills during all the fighting. No, the story has a different feel to it as you're watching and getting to know the Chris, played by Bradley Cooper. He is a man that believes in his country and wants to protect those around him from getting hurt, losing a soldier and in some cases a friend is just too much for him to bare. Add to all this being a father and husband to his wife and two kids, trying to come back and acclimate to all that you have seen, worrying about every second you're not over seas protecting your men, you have a powerful piece of cinema on your hands. 

Adapted from the book, Sniper, about the life of Chris Kyle, the story starts off with his first accounted kill while over seas. It is far from what you would expect or really want your first kill to be and it is a difficult decision for him to make to say the least. Taking out what looks to be innocent by standards in the conflict, Chris shoots a woman and a young boy who were carrying a grenade meant to kill the upcoming convoy. It is an intense moment, especially for the very first minutes of a movie to have but it gets the point across of how Chris sees the world. It isn't an easy choice to make but for someone like Chris who believes in protecting his brothers then it is one that he will make. Again, the story doesn't get bogged down by what really is right or wrong about the situation that he is in but he is in it and he will do whatever it takes to protect the people in it with him. 

This does create a problem in Chris's home life though, when you're focused on what's going on over there, it's hard to focus on anything else. Wife, Taya (Sienna Miller), stays home for the four tours of duty that Chris goes on, watching as he becomes a little less of his former self with each visit back. Taya does not play a simple army wife though and as Chris becomes frankly more like a robot with each passing visit, never switching off, she begs him to stop going over seas and just stay home. Not only does she see the change but the viewer does to as the first portion of the film shows a flashback to Chris's youth and his decision to join the military, the point where he meets Taya. The two get married sometime after the 9/11 attacks before he is shipped out to Iraq and you can tell that he was much more focused on her and his country as well. The focus shifts though after all that happens, the enemy sniper that kills his closest friends and team mates being one of the biggest. 

This is the part of American Sniper that loses me to be honest, putting not only a face but a background story to this nameless sniper was a bit odd. It feels like an enemy that you face in a video game who is exactly like you in every way but is somehow evil but the sniper really isn't. Knowing all these facts about who this other sniper was is a little too far-fetched and the final "showdown" between the two felt entirely too forced. It isn't the sort of experience you would expect to come from an actual conflict and while I have no idea what actual combat is like, it did not sit well with me. 

Bearing this in mind, I thought that American Sniper was still an incredibly powerful movie to watch. Bradley Cooper's adaptation of the real life Chris Kyle was very well done, his more buckled up look and gruff exterior brings an accurate picture to what meeting a man like this would have been like. Supporting actress Sienna Miller also gives an amazing performance as Chris's loving wife who just wants to have her husband and father to her children to return safely and return the way he left the first time. The presence of not only the powerful moments between Chris and Tara but also the action scene all serve their purpose in creating a truly great film. 

Good:

- Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle was absolutely amazing

- Sienna Miller's supporting role as Chris's loyal and loving wife

- The tough and steadfast presentation throughout the entire movie is top notch

- The great sniper shot moments

Bad:

- The enemy sniper that Kyle faces seemed too hokey 

Scully Rating: 8.8 out of 10