Crosshairs

“American Sniper” (2014) – movie review
Today’s review is for the biographical war drama “American Sniper” (2014), starring Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle — a Navy SEAL sniper whose pinpoint accuracy earned him the nickname “Legend” among fellow soldiers and insurgents alike.  Sienna Miller plays Taya Kyle, Chris’s wife, whose emotional arc mirrors the toll of war on the home front.  Supporting roles include Luke Grimes as Marc Lee (a fellow SEAL and emotional anchor), Jake McDorman as Biggles (Kyle’s friend and teammate), and Cory Hardrict as Dandridge (“D”), rounding out the SEAL team with grit and camaraderie.
Background:  I came to this film with tempered anticipation.  War films often lean into spectacle or sentimentality, and I wasn’t sure which direction the film would take.  I’ve seen Cooper in a couple of roles and I was curious to see how he’d handle a character built on stoicism and trauma.  This was my first viewing, and I approached it with very little (no) knowledge about the “real” Chris Kyle.  I knew the film had been nominated for multiple Academy Awards (six, to be exact), including Best Picture and Best Actor for Cooper, and it won one — Best Sound Editing.  Even after viewing, I’m not sure if the acclaim is for the film’s technical execution or its emotional resonance.
Plot:  The film is based on Kyle’s memoir and dramatizes his four tours in Iraq, his internal battles, and his struggle to reintegrate into civilian life.  The film opens with Kyle on a rooftop in Fallujah, eyeing a child and a woman approaching a convoy with what may be a grenade.  The tension is immediate, and the moral ambiguity is baked into the frame.  From there, we flash back to Kyle’s Texas upbringing, his rodeo days, and his decision to enlist after seeing news footage of embassy bombings.  The narrative follows Kyle through four tours in Iraq, where he racks up over 160 confirmed kills, making him the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history.  Between deployments, he returns home to Taya and their children, but the psychological distance grows.  Kyle becomes increasingly detached, haunted by the lives he’s taken and the brothers-in-arms he couldn’t save.  The film culminates in Kyle’s post-war efforts to help fellow veterans, and ends — abruptly and respectfully — with his real-life death at the hands of a troubled vet he was trying to help.  The closing credits roll over footage from Kyle’s actual funeral procession, grounding the film in sobering reality.
So, is this movie any good?  How’s the acting?  The filming / FX?  Any problems?  And, did I enjoy the film?  Short answers:  Yes;  excellent;  restrained and effective;  a few;  yes.
Any good?  Yes.  The film is emotionally resonant (to me) and technically competent.  It doesn’t glorify war, but it doesn’t condemn it either.  It walks a tightrope between patriotism and introspection, and mostly succeeds.  Kyle views himself as a “protector / defender”.  The direction is focused, and the story — while episodic — builds a compelling portrait of a man shaped by duty, love and trauma.
Acting:  Bradley Cooper is outstanding.  He gained 40 pounds for the role and reportedly trained with SEALs to capture Kyle’s physicality and demeanor.  But it’s the emotional restraint that sells it — Cooper plays Kyle as a man who compartmentalizes everything, and the cracks in that armor are subtle but devastating.  Sienna Miller is solid as Taya, though her role is mostly reactive.  The supporting cast is believable, with Grimes and McDorman adding texture to the SEAL team dynamic.  The film is a character study, and Cooper carries it off with his quiet intensity.
Filming / FX:  The cinematography is functional — dusty streets, rooftop perches, and domestic interiors are shot with clarity and restraint.  The battle scenes are tense but not overblown.  The sound is excellent (hence the Oscar win), especially in the sniper sequences — the silence before the shot, the echo after.  The film’s visual language is grounded, avoiding the stylized excesses of many other war films.  The final battle in a sandstorm is chaotic and disorienting, mirroring Kyle’s internal state.
Problems:  A few.  The film’s episodic structure makes it feel a little like a series of vignettes more than a cohesive narrative.  The film glosses over the complexities of the Iraq War, and that Kyle’s portrayal is too sanitized, but the film is about him and not about the politics of America / Iraq.  The film doesn’t explore the political context in depth, and while that may be intentional, it leaves some story gaps.  Also, the portrayal of Iraqi characters is limited and mostly adversarial, which may feel disparaging.  I wasn’t there, so I have no personal knowledge of their value as allies fighting along side our troops.  My personal feeling is there were some excellent allies, so terrible / worthless and most were just trying to get through the war in their home country.  Finally, the ending — while respectful — is abrupt, and may leave viewers wanting more closure.
Did I enjoy the film?  Yes.  It’s a film which gives the viewer pause to consider the sacrifice of our troops in harms way (and their families).  For that, I am always respectful.  I found myself thinking about Kyle’s internal conflict, the cost of service, and the challenge of reintegration.  It’s not a feel-good movie, but it’s a meaningful one.  Cooper’s performance elevates the material, and Eastwood’s direction keeps the focus on character rather than spectacle.
Final Recommendation:  Strong recommendation.  “American Sniper” is a sobering, well-acted war drama which raises questions it doesn’t (can’t) answer.  It’s not a political film, and it’s not a traditional action movie — it’s a character study of a man struggling between (and with) duty and identity.  If you’re interested in stories about service, sacrifice, and the psychological toll of war, this film is worth viewing.  It’s rated R for strong and disturbing war violence, language, and sexual content, but it’s not gratuitous.  It’s a film that asks:  What does it mean to be a protector — and what does it cost?
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Click here (9 November) to see the posts of prior years.  I started this blog in late 2009.  Daily posting began in late January 2011.  Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts.

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