American Sniper

American Sniper

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 1/13/15

Reviewed 1/15/15 at Celebration North Theatre

with Gary

4 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

If I count American Sniper as a 2014 movie (as its original limited-release to qualify for the Oscars), it was by far my favorite film of the year. It's an amazing story based on Navy SEAL Chris Kyle's book about his tour of duty from 2001 to 2009. He's an American hero to the fullest. I read the book and thought it was good, but Clint Eastwood does such an amazing job bringing the story to screen. It's truly a snub that Eastwood didn't get nominated for Best Director. In the opening weekend alone the film made over $105 million, so that is the perfect answer to the Academy and the likes of Michael Moore, the big idiot. Enough cannot be said on how spectacular Bradley Cooper is portraying Kyle. He is nominated for best actor in a leading role and should be the winner, but we'll see on February 22.

Chris Kyle enlists in the U.S. Navy, motivated by the 1998 attack on the US embassy. He has his sights on special forces and becomes a Navy SEAL after rigorous and hellish training.

He meets and marries Taya (well played by Sienna Miller) soon afterward. In his training he finally discovers his aptitude - a sharpshooter. It is understandably very difficult for Taya each time Chris has to leave for one of his tours in Iraq. Life events go on in the meantime, including two children that Chris has to leave behind, along with his wife, to serve his country. He struggles between his love of family and the goal of saving lives and killing the bad guys that want to destroy Americans. The subsequent scenes are riveting depicting Chris in action. After almost not making it out of a deadly raid, Chris finally tells his elated wife he is done and coming home. It comes at no shock that Chris struggles with ordinary civilian life. It takes a couple of years for him to recover and "come back" to his family. He discovers by helping mentor veterans, especially those struggling with PTSD, he is aiding in his own healing. What comes out of this is so tragic, shocking and upsetting. Chris was killed in 2013 by a veteran he was trying to help. Filmmakers were in the early stages of filming, when Taya and the others learned of this horrific end.

Chris was known to have racked up 160 confirmed kills, making him the deadliest sniper in history. Think of all the lives he saved! Each one of those he took out would have killed many more Americans and allies. A true American hero that didn't die in the line of duty, but that doesn't make him any less of a hero. When Chris was being counseled by a psychiatrist after his tours ended, the doctor questioned him, "Are you struggling with all of the people you killed?" Chris responded very matter of fact, "Well no, I am struggling with all of those I didn't save". That says it all.

QUIET Rating system: 4 1/2 Js

Quality: JJJJj

Understood story:  JJJJJ

Interest: JJJJJ

Entertainment:  JJJJ

Time:  JJJ