Film Review : American Sniper

Film Review : American Sniper 

By Paul Daley 25th January 2015 

So here's my problem with this film How does the killing by one man of 160 people make the American Sniper of the title Chris Kyle an American hero? Should this  be a film that celebrate his achievements or should it condone the glorification of a mass murderer

Unfortunately Director Clint Eastwood chooses to avoid addressing any of these questions along with any of the other moral dilemmas that would arise from the significance of Chris Kyle's actions. What he (Eastwood) has chosen to do, is to make a cold sterile 'mater of fact' movie. That nails it's patriotic colours to the flag. 

Based on a true story. American Sniper, tells the tale of celebrated Navy Seal Chris Kyle. This specialist Marksmen was credited with the most kills in any conflict. He was responsible for the death of at least 160 terrorists mostly men but as shown in the film he is prepared to shoot and kill, women and children without any remorse also.

Bradley Cooper plays Kyle, and has been nominated for an Oscar for his performance. Playing to a home audience, the film has been much praised. It's significance being, to give its audience a warped sense of Kyles achievement, but sadly  it fails to address the bigger question of why American troops were actually in Iraq. And whilst  Eastwood doesn't feel the need to make a movie that digs to deep, neither does Cooper playing Kyle choose to question his actions, or shows any remorse for his victims. 

This is soulless movie, that to me lacks any depth. Coopers character is difficult to engage with. And the saving grace of the film is Sienna Miller, who plays Kyle's wife. She is the only sympathetic character who actually brings any emotion to the screen. Their is never a set piece moment in which Coopers character questions what he is doing or why they ( America) are in Iraq. For the most part this is  gung-ho let's go get 'em before they get us movie.

I wonder, does Eastwood,  subconsciously portray 'Chief' Kyle as modern day 'Dirty Harry'. A character from his acting past. Both were men of few words but who had an appetite for killing without compulsion. Driven by the need to take the bad guys off the street. It didn't seem to matter to the director that the streets in this modern tale are thousands of miles from Kyle's Texas heartland. 

Kyle became known as 'Legend'  to his fellow Marines, such was his prowess. and it's Kyle's legend that The director and the cast have tried to protect. Unfortunately In in doing so they have made a film that leaves you with more questions than answers. 

Despite his 'heroics' it's not the terrorist that takes Chris Kyle's life, but a battle scared former marine veteran. Just like his own deadly bullets. The gunshot that killed him  was unexpected and came out of the blue. 

Despite its Oscar nominations, as testament to the Iraq war I think it fails to reach the heights other contemporary films about the Iraq conflict achieved such as The Hurt Locker and the under rated JarHeads.