American Sniper is a powerfully riveting biopic assembled by the absorbing efforts by Clint Eastwood

Rating: 8/10 (19 January 2015)

American Sniper is one of the most powerful war movies Hollywood has unleashed in recent years, as well as one of the most controversial. Concerning the one of America's most celebrated Navy Seals Chris Kyle, this movie offers an enthralling, if not masterful inside look on an American soldier who's been showered with endless respect for his duty in the Iraq War (like many soldiers who set out to fight overseas), while remaining a questionable figure by some of the public. Chris Kyle has varied in what many called a true American hero for his active duty, while condemned as a cold-blooded killer by others for his callous attitude towards Iraqis, at least what was described in his autobiography. Nonetheless, Hollywood mogul Clint Eastwood brings his appealing cinematic talent to the screen to this admired American figure to life in a riveting form. By no means in this biopic a masterpiece, but it firmly demonstrates true talent both in front and behind the camera. This film focuses on the true story of Chris Kyle (played by Bradley Cooper), a U.S Navy Seal who garnered fame upon racking up over 150 confirmed skills during his duty in Iraq. The story follows Kyle during his four tours in Iraq and the struggles he faces back his Post- Traumatic Stress symptoms and the strain in his relationship with his family, particularly his wife Taya (played by Sienna Miller).
This movie is not the first time Clint Eastwood has tackled on the casualties of war. After all, he was the director behind 'Flags of Our Father' and 'Letters to Iwo Jima', both of focused on World War II in the Pacific Theater. This film however, sees Eastwood focusing on not an entire platoon trudging through the heat of a bloody battle, but a single figure who was forced to deal with the punishing horrors of war both on the battlefields and the psychological and emotional state of his character. The combat sequences set in the urban areas of Iraq are exuberantly shot and executed in a way that showcasing the sobering nature of active combat. Soldiers are brutally killed, and some of which we get to know very well. While the political complexities of the war are only thinly explored, Eastwood doesn't fail to show that war is hell. The scenes taking place off the battlefield is where most of the emotional resonance hits hard. As his active duty takes a toll on his wife who's disheartened by his physical and emotional absence, the story opens up a wider and brighter light on the complicated nature of Chris Kyle. In particularly, Kyle is brightened with a powerful performance by Bradley Cooper who fuels great fortitude and versatility in the role. While Eastwood makes the effort to portray the centric character as a hero, the controversy surrounding the man may give those who are less of a fan of him a cold shoulder, mainly due to some claims about his callousness towards the Iraqi mentioned in his autobiography. In the end, it is somewhat easy to see both sides of the argument of why he is respected by some and hated by others.
American Sniper is a powerful, riveting biopic that excels with the immersive talent of both Bradley Cooper and director Clint Eastwood. Like many war movies, this one hit hard, enough to have driven my friends and I to tears as we walked out of the theater. Although the patriotic tone of the story and the portrayal of the Iraqi may prove to be a bit too jingoistic for some, there is certainly some talent on and off the camera that deserves to be admired.