American Sniper - Film Review

“American Sniper” is a movie that can be very easily interpreted as American propaganda. The use of the word “American” in the film’s title is enough for some to make this claim. The motto “God, country, and family” rings true to mind in what this film depicts. In actuality though, “American Sniper” is a feature that takes a patriotic individual, hoists him up as a legend and then brings him back down to the harsh level of a haunted soul. Clint Eastwood is a master director who knows how to show the flawed and imperfect nature of humanity. Just watch “Unforgiven,” “Mystic River,” and “Letters of Iwo Jima.”

With US Seal Sniper Chris Kyle, he is portrayed as an unsophisticated character. From youth, we get to see his life grow from a god-fearing hunter who dreams of being a cowboy to the deadliest sniper in American history. In response to 9/11, just like many American men and women, he enlists in the Navy to serve his country. We watch as he endures four tours of active duty in Iraq and tries to readjust in the safe confines of suburban America. Writer Jason Hall molds him as a sympathetic and likable person, whom is determined to eliminate the enemy and protect his home.

It is Bradley Cooper’s deeply expressive performance that captures the essence of this simple yet larger-than-life person. As an actor, Cooper has acquired a power to display in both voice and face great emotion. Without him even uttering a word, we can comprehend the thoughts going on in his head. His performance is nothing short of deserving an Oscar nomination. Clint Eastwood smartly keeps the camera on him for the majority of the film, allowing the audience to empathize and understand his character. He also gives us a parched, desolate, desert landscape plagued by violence and cruelty. The amount of dedication in the cinematography and production design give viewers a gritty look of Iraq, which rivals Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker.” The war sequences are quite brutal and intense. The final action scene alone is truly marvelous as a sandstorm blankets the battle-stricken Baghdad.

“American Sniper” unfortunately falls short on many other aspects, dragging what could have been a great movie down to mediocrity. While the focus is on Kyle, other parts of his life are introduced and then just as quickly dismissed. We get to see his younger brother join up the marines and then we never see him again. Likewise, the relationship between his strict father takes precedent in the first ten-minutes, and yet it goes nowhere afterwards. His war buddies appear, disappear, and then reappear usually for a plot device. As a viewer, we barely get a chance to know them like Kyle. When they are killed off, we really do not feel any emotional engagement or loss. The added subplot of a Middle Eastern sniper targeting US Soldiers feels clichéd and a poor attempt to draw a main antagonist for the lead character. Even the relationship between Kyle and his wife is limited in time. We are left with following a great American patriot consumed with torment. The frequent jumps between war and home grows old very quickly. An entire movie could have been just based upon one of Kyle’s tours and it would feel like a more completed film. 

In short, this movie left me wanting more than the 132-minutes had to offer. That is the sad problem with most biographical films. They are spread so thin that they actually show too little in too much time. I’m probably in the minority on this one, but “American Sniper” is a slightly above average film, and that is mainly because of Bradley Cooper’s performance. I wanted to love this, but I cannot. Regardless, I still appreciate the people who brought Chris Kyle’s story back to life.