Fair adaptation on screen of bestseller, sadly part of propaganda

Rating: 5/10 (18 January 2015)

As a fan of Clint Eastwood movies as a director and actor I have been disappointed by this movie because in spite of great action and war scenes which are unusual in the director's latest production, it does not go into questioning why great warriors like Kyle think and act like this...
The movie is too much of the simple attitude American people have about wars, good and evil. To support the Global War on Terror that has been lasting for 13 years this message has to be repeated by numerous politicians, pundits and media propagandists. This is pretty well represented in the movie where Chris thinks that he needs to protect his country by fighting in Irak or risk that the locals might come to San Diego. It goes along with the many times heard motto "they hate us for our freedom". Chris thinks of himself also as a crusader and he sports tattoo with the Christian cross of the crusaders time. One has to realise that without critical thinking it is very easy to fall into this black and white analysis of the world. And sadly, very few directors have treated this subject. I can only think of Paul Greengrass in Greenzone.
The movie is a very good representation of the book written by Chris and for this Eastwood can take the credit for it. However it is used as a propaganda tool by being nominated at the Oscars to support questionable foreign interventions. Even though it shows the effect of war on soldiers such as wounds, death and mental illness, it only stays at the individual's level and does not mention the effect on society. It is always interesting to analyse why a specific movie is promoted at some awards ceremony; what is the message "the system" is trying to send to the masses?