Decent, I wish I could say more

Rating: 7/10 (19 January 2015)

Every year we get a new war movie around this time of the year, and all of them are decent but none stand out, last year we had Lone Survivor and now this. American Sniper continues this tradition faithfully, it is a decent movie which is passable has some good scenes, has some character development but excels in no department and has a bland protagonist. Chris Kyle the American sniper on whom this movie is based on was the most lethal sniper in American history, amassing a body count of more than 160 kills over his four tours in Iraq. In movie he is portrayed almost as Captain America honest soldier who cares about his country. While there is nothing wrong with this representation, real life Chris Kyle was pro war and had other controversial opinions which should have been included just to give more dimensions and angles to Bradley Cooper's representation of Chris Kyle, at least then the character would feel more complete instead he feels like a safe and non controversial all American hero. There are other familiar war tropes which appear in the film - making new army friends, losing army friends, PTSD, withdrawal from family, addiction to war and the rush of war all of which is decently done but again nothing stands out. Currently the film is enjoying a record breaking run at the box office and I am glad that audiences are enjoying quality films over the usual mindless action films. Clint Eastwood's direction is better than his previous effort - J. Edgar. Cooper is earnest and is freakin' physically HUGE in this movie I can already see Disney's Marvel and WB's DC pursuing Cooper for another boring superhero franchise.