Cooper's Commanding Turn Secures SNIPER's Legacy

Rating: 9/10 (23 January 2015)

American Sniper is a subtle emotional powerhouse packed with outstanding action sequences and anchored by Bradley Cooper's intensely realistic portrayal of a man clinging to his principles in the crucible of war.
SNIPER is challenging on many levels. It demands that the viewer have a high tolerance for wartime horrors. It implores us to ignore the United States' politically ambiguous motives for invading Iraq. In fact, the film almost completely disregards the big picture in exchange for the understated drama of the individual soldier. The result is a fairly detached account of Chris Kyle's trials and successes during his four extensive tours in the Middle East. Since Kyle proves such a superman on the battlefield and unflinchingly sacrifices everything for his country, SNIPER runs the risk of being perceived as America propaganda. Even more problematic is the film's rather unflattering depiction of the Iraqi enemy, the "wolves" Kyle has sworn to defend his "sheep" against.
If Eastwood succeeds at anything, it's allowing Kyle's fanaticism to linger calmly under the surface of the proceedings. By the end, whether or not we agree with his actions or code of honor, we've grown and lived with Kyle, and come to realize that the war is not a place where decent men can flourish. Kyle, indeed, is a decent and moralistic man, perhaps oppressively so, but Eastwood convincingly places him above the judgment of his audience. Although it may not be easy to come to terms with, Chris Kyle did what he believed was necessary. It's not a question of right and wrong, it's a question of what the character believed was right and wrong. Of course, some viewers will disagree with him on an ideological level (I know I did) or reprehend him for his seemingly callous treatment of his wife and children, but this does not make the film opinionated, but rather unbiased. Sure, Eastwood glosses over his reintegration into society, he mitigates some of the moral dilemma of sniping by demonizing the enemy. But that's how Kyle got through it, by making himself believe certain things just to get by.
Cooper succeeds admirably at wrestling the humanity out of a man who has killed so many so unapologetically. It's undoubtedly the finest performance of his career, and definitely deserving of the Oscar nomination he received. Sienna Miller, though sidelined for the majority of the film and given precious little wiggle room by the script, also pulls her weight.
It's a gorgeous film to look at; it puts BLACK HAWK DOWN to shame stylistically. Overall, American Sniper is a quietly potent film from Clint Eastwood, and though some will adore it and some will despise it, I can say from a fairly unbiased perspective that it has a universally moving quality if you can put yourself in Chris Kyle's shoes, even for a moment.