The battlefield is not just over there but over here too.

Rating: 10/10 (23 January 2015)

This is a somber movie about a tragic story. A man, Chris Kyle, dies, tragically, after repeatedly risking his life for his country. While he is alive he is pressured by his wife who is becoming increasingly hysterical to stop going to war, which just drives him away. His job was to methodically kill the enemy, which included women and children who were combatants. That was the nature of the enemy he was fighting. At no time does Kyle derive any joy from doing his job. But he believes in what he is doing and has the full support of his commanders who acknowledge his bravery. Of course, the question is: who exactly are the Americans fighting? And should they even be there? Interestingly, in the movie, Kyle is not the only sniper. The insurgents have a sniper too and he is looking for Kyle. It's too bad that the movie does not tell the audience more about the other sniper, who is fighting his own war. But this movie is not about snipers. It's about fear and terror. Kyle is not the only victim. His wife and children are victims too. While he is fighting the war overseas she is fighting the war at home. Thus, the terror is compounded. The war becomes this monstrous entity that engulfs all who are involved in it. And what makes the story even more tragic is that the battlefield is not just over there but over here too. Bradley Cooper delivers what is probably the strongest performance of his career. That alone makes the movie worth watching.