8/10

Rating: 7/10 (3 January 2015)

As always when talking about movies based on events regarding terrorism or war, you have to approach all of the content with delicacy and open mind. I have always done that for this types of movies and have yet to be truly disappointed both on the artistic and the informative style, I'm speaking of course about the recent "Lone Survivor" but more importantly of the masterpiece that is "Zero Dark Thirty". None of these have approached the material with a closed mind or with a America-f**k-yeah attitude (even if Lone Survivor did a little bit of that). So does "American Sniper" succeed in following the ordeal of these films? The answer is a plain yes. Of course we are talking about three very different films story and content wise, but the core of the historical themes remain.
On the artistic side the film is very well done, it certainly and openly borrows a page from "Black Hawk Down" and even though it doesn't exactly reach those heights it certainly goes very near. Sometimes you can't really understand what's going on and who is shooting who, but for the very major part the action is riveting, gritty and you feel thrown into it. The emotional core of the movie is solid and thanks to the best performance Bradley Cooper has given yet we feel every sentiment his character goes through. It is very touching in multiple moments and overall an experience that should be had on the theater.
Unfortunately the movie does have some problems. It doesn't answer, or even ask many questions and doesn't deepen any arguments about the war. The only themes which are treated are about patriotism and veteran stress, and whilst hands down it does a f***ing stunning job at portraying these aspects of the war and making me emphasize and understand as I had never done before, the movie is simply not an interesting look at the Iraq War. It is an interesting look at a fascinating character, in the mist of this war that could have opened up so many more opportunities for provocative filmaking. Plus it has very tyring end credits, that kind of ruined the nature of the movie. Whilst the film is trying to convey patriotism in a very human way that had me very attentive, the credits just blow it up to one thousand and took away a lot of the emotion of before.
Anyways, I don't want to seem I'm putting out there a too controversial statement, I liked the movie a lot and took away a lot from it, it is a great portrayal of a complex real life character, I just wanted another Zero Dark Thirty going into it and most certainly and unfortunately didn't get it.