It's sad that a lot of viewers will go into it uneducated.

Rating: 10/10 (20 January 2015)

'AMERICAN SNIPER': Five Stars (Out of Five)
Iraq war flick that's loosely based on Navy SEAL Chris Kyle's autobiography 'American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History' (written by Klye, Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice). Bradley Cooper stars in the movie, as Kyle, and he also co-produced it. Clint Eastwood directed the film and Jason Hall wrote the screenplay. The movie has been nominated for six Academy Awards (including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay) and it also did huge Box Office on it's opening weekend (in theatrical wide release); making over $105 million in four days. It's received mostly positive reviews, from movie critics, but it's also garnered a lot of negative criticism; for it's historical inaccuracies and glamorized depiction of war. The movie also depicts a pretty distorted image of it's central character; who suffered from severe mental illness, lied a lot and bragged about killing (which he also found immense joy in). As a work of just pure cinematic fiction though, I loved it!
Cooper plays a Texan named Chris Kyle; who was a rodeo cowboy until he saw footage of the United States embassy bombings, on TV, in 1998. He decided to enlist in the Navy and became a Navy SEAL sniper. During his training he met Taya Renae (Sienna Miller), at a bar, and he went on to marry her and start a family. He deployed to Iraq after the September 11, 2001 attacks; and served four tours there. During his time of service he claimed to have killed 255 people; 160 were officially confirmed by the Department of Defense. The movie focuses on his obsession with his job and how it effected his family, at home, and his own mental well-being (although it goes into very little detail about it).
Cooper secured the film rights to the book and was originally going to have his buddy David O. Russell direct it; I really wish I could have seen that version (O. Russell is one of my favorite filmmakers). After O. Russell eventually passed on the movie, Steven Spielberg was set to direct it; he wanted to make it a much bigger budgeted epic war film though (and it was his idea to add a rival sniper; that Kyle was constantly battling throughout). Spielberg also passed on the movie, after Warner Bros. (the studio releasing it) wouldn't give him the money he wanted to make it with; I would also like to have seen Spielberg's version of the film (Spielberg and O. Russell have directed two of the greatest war flicks ever made; 'SAVING PRIVATE RYAN' and 'THREE KINGS'). I do like Eastwood's movie, as pure Hollywood escapism, but I also think a more truthful and accurate film, based on Chris Kyle's actual life, would have been more appropriate and insightful. The omission of Kyle's drastic mental issues, constant lying and somewhat psychotic outlook on life (and death) is severely misleading. If you know the true story though, the film can still be appreciated for it's expert craftsmanship and skillfully produced entertainment value. I can understand how some see the movie as unethical; for distorting facts and giving American viewers just what they want to see (and only that). I still thoroughly enjoyed it though. Eastwood's direction has never been better and Cooper turns in yet another amazing performance (one of the very best of 2014). I think that if the film were set in a different setting (like say a futuristic sci-fi warzone), and the filmmakers didn't claim it was based on actual historical events, most movie fans would just see it as an awesome action movie. I also think it's one of the most important films of the year because it does bring up important issues about war and filmmaking and it also raises insightful discussions about the responsibilities that filmmakers should (or shouldn't) have; in telling a true story. It's sad that a lot of viewers will go into it uneducated, on the disturbing details of Chris Kyle's true life, and therefore believe that most of what they're seeing is true. For educated and open-minded viewers though, it still can be a very powerful and entertaining filmgoing experience!
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