Enjoy your movie, America

Rating: 5/10 (18 February 2015)

Before I start the review, I just need to say that for a non- American such as myself it's a bit tough to connect with someone like Chris Kyle. While I do understand that not every person in the US is praising this film as well, I feel I may just need to explain my stance when it comes to this movie and it's review.
So in short, the film tells the story of Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL that is sent to Iraq in the course of four tours and there is becomes a legend by having over 150 confirmed kills on duty. However glorious his presence is looked at in combat, he fails to leave this environment mentally, therefore separating him from his family emotionally. This right here was a great plot point that could have actually been expanded during the film. Instead we see this troubled man doing what apparently he seems to like most, and that is fighting for his country. The need to showcase the war scenes is totally fine by me, as it is a great display of Kyle's patriotism and his obsession with the cause. Still a little more balance between his life as a soldier and his life as a family man would have made the experience much more approachable to me.
American Sniper ends up being a disappointment, as it features a talented actor in Bradley Cooper and is directed by a Hollywood legend in Clint Eastwood. His agenda in this movie is clear, which is what pisses me off about this movie. I have loved some Eastwood's previous work and Cooper wowed me in Silver Linings Playbook. In here I'm left with a movie that downright justifies the Iraq invasion and presents a man that, no matter how Bradley Cooper or any other actor portrayed him, I couldn't give a damn about. If anything I feel sorry for his wife and kids that had to endure long periods without him and ultimately lost him when he was in a good place.
Rating: 5/10