Lets all be objective about this

Rating: 6/10 (9 January 2015)

I only ever read the reviews and message boards AFTER I have watched a movie, never before. Like many others here I do this to see if my opinions and thoughts of a particular movie are shared and reflected by fellow posters, and i am also interested and intrigued by the differing views of other posters too.
The boards for the most part come across as intellectual, mature, thoughtful and educational... and you can tend to pick up on things and learn from other posters about a movie that you may have missed yourself. You know... the 'aaahhhh i see' factor.
That being said, things do get spoiled on here when patriotism, nationalism, bravado and politics tend to sweep everything else to the side. No greater example than on the boards and some reviews right here with this movie, American Sniper. Which to be honest was mediocre at best, but from reading other posts/reviews comes across to be the greatest movie ever.
Oscar/award wins?? On merit as a film, i really don't think so.
I have read the book and IMO the movie could have had so much more potential and scope (excuse the pun). I do realise that it is a biopic, but it came across as flat. I felt it lacked depth and flow. I thought Cooper did a great job of getting into 'character', but aside from that i really didn't feel i was made to care for anyone (or anything for that matter). I just could not 'get in to it'.
The musical score (or lack of) was too ambient, the plastic baby doll was laughable and totally not in keeping with a big budget/actor/director Hollywood film. A 'Sniper-war' that i was not made to care about ending in a flawless kill... Others here have also mentioned the telephone conversations with home via sat phone during operations. These details just ruined it for me.
I am a fan of any genre of film, as long as the film is good. American Sniper just didn't do it for me. Maybe because I had higher expectations with the possible potential to be drawn in and I just ended up feeling disappointed.
I am sure that many patriotic and/or US military service people will want to disagree with me, but if you are totally honest and take the patriotic and 'us Vs them' subjectivity out of it, objectively this film is not as good as the current rating it carries.