American Sniper: not for those who can't join the dots....

Rating: 8/10 (31 May 2015)

Very quick review: not that interested in seeing, but on long haul flight and had to fill up lots of hours....
Actually much better than expected, a quiet thoughtful movie, telling the story of how Chris Kyle the sniper was made - his background, his life - in an understated but powerful manner. Turned to IMDb and was astonished to find the number or reviewers giving one star on the basis this was undiluted pro-American propaganda. As one example: a reviewer complained that Kyle killed women and children without comment.
No, the movie did not tell you this was wrong. It showed you: though Kyle's hesitation, through his delay, his expression (great acting from Bradley Cooper); through his inability to adjust to normal life, through his desperately heartfelt relief when the child carrying the anti-tank missile dropped it and ran, through his post-traumatic stress disorder. What do such reviewers want, someone jumping on a soap box to make a speech telling the viewer war is wrong?
Actually, American Sniper shows that even the simplest, most black-and-white patriot, convinced of his duty, can be torn apart by the horrors of what he had to do. And was far more powerful for that than any overt address for the simple-minded.