American Sniper (2014)

"The most lethal sniper in U.S. history"

Directed by Clint Eastwood
Produced by Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper, Peter Morgan
Written by Jason Hall
Based on "American Sniper" by Chris Kyle, Scott McEwen, Jim DeFelice
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller
Cinematography: Tom Stern
Edited by Joel Cox, Gary D. Roach
Production company: Village Roadshow Pictures, Mad Chance Productions, 22nd & Indiana Pictures, Malpaso Productions
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date: 1 January 2015 (Italy)
Running time: 132 minutes
Country: United States, Morocco
Budget: $58.8 million
Box office: $472.1 million

"American Sniper" is a biographical war drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Jason Hall. It's based on the book "American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History" (2012) by Chris Kyle, with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice. The story is about Kyle, the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history: with 255 kills, 160 of which were officially confirmed by the Department of Defense. His pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home to his wife and kids after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind.

Cast

• Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle
• Sienna Miller as Taya Renae Kyle
• Max Charles as Colton Kyle
• Luke Grimes as Marc Lee
• Kyle Gallner as Goat-Winston
• Sam Jaeger as Captain Martens
• Jake McDorman as Ryan "Biggles" Job
• Cory Hardrict as 'D' / Dandridge
• Navid Negahban as Sheikh Al-Obodi
• Eric Close as DIA Agent Snead
• Eric Ladin as Squirrel
• Rey Gallegos as Tony
• Kevin "Dauber" Lacz as himself
• Brian Hallisay as Captain Gillespie
• Ben Reed as Wayne Kyle
• Elise Robertson as Debby Kyle
• Keir O'Donnell as Jeff Kyle
• Marnette Patterson as Sarah
• Leonard Roberts as Instructor Roll
• Sammy Sheik as Mustafa
• Mido Hamada as "The Butcher"

Clinton Eastwood, the director of the film, is well-known for his pictures like "Unforgiven" (1992), "Million Dollar Baby" (2004), "Every Which Way But Loose" (1978), "Mystic River" (2003), "Changeling" (2008), "Gran Torino" (2008). His "American Sniper" seemed to me something really catching or it's just my love to good war films. All in all, I didn't see anything superfluous that caused joy to me.

Bradley Cooper was the first reason to watch the film. One of my favourite actors, after all. His role of Chris Kyle showed once again that he's a talented actor: a strong man with an aim and doubts. Family or war? Love for the country or for the family? A viewer can observe how hard these choices are for Chris.

Sienna Miller performed Taya Renae Kyle, a loving wife who always supports and trusts her husband. In my opinion, it's very hard to realize that your beloved is now at war, fights against enemies and ventures his life. And Sienna Miller exposed feelings and emotions of the woman who must live with that.

Advantages

• Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle
• Based on "American Sniper" by Chris Kyle, Scott McEwen, Jim DeFelice
• Clint Eastwood

Disadvantages

• Mistakes (like Fireball Cinnamon which hadn't been put on the market before 2006)

"Strangenesses"

• The character of Cooper is a little too cold for a person, but perfect for a soldier

Clue Moments

• RKG grenade
• The wedding
• The war
• The injured comrade
• The end

Life after a war is harder than anyone, who haven't faced it on one's own, can imagine. First of all, a soldier gets used to protecting Homeland killing enemies, but when the person gets into the habit to be at war, live there, see violence and death, it's considerably difficult to return to restful life. And the film fully demonstrates that.

Christopher Scott "Chris" Kyle (April 8, 1974 − February 2, 2013) was a United States Navy SEAL and the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history with 160 confirmed kills. Kyle served four tours in the Iraq War and was awarded several commendations for acts of heroism and meritorious service in combat. He received two Silver Star Medals, five Bronze Star Medals, one Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and numerous other unit and personal awards.

Kyle was born in Odessa, Texas, the first of two boys born to Deby Lynn and Wayne Kenneth Kyle, a Sunday school teacher and a deacon. Kyle's father bought his son his first rifle at eight years old, a bolt-action. 30-06 Springfield rifle, and later a shotgun, with which they hunted pheasant, quail, and deer. Kyle attended high school in Midlothian, Texas. After school, Kyle became a professional bronco rodeo rider and worked on a ranch, but his professional rodeo career ended abruptly when he severely injured his arm.

After his arm healed, Kyle went to a military recruiting office, interested in joining the U.S. Marine Corpswith a special interest in special operations. Kyle signed up, but was rejected because of the pins in his arm. Kyle met with a U.S. Army recruiter next, who told him about the Special Forces and the Rangers

During four tours of duty in the Iraq War, Kyle was shot twice and survived six separate IED explosions. He accumulated 160 confirmed kills out of 255 probable kills. These numbers are based on individual shooter logs, filled out at the end of a mission, and reported to higher command. Kyle stated that he did not know his official kill record, and only counted the lives he felt he could have saved. U.S. Special Operations Command treats sniper kill counts as "unofficial". Confirmed kills must have a witness. 

Kyle left the U.S. Navy in 2009 and moved to Midlothian, Texas, with his wife, Taya, and two children. He was president of Craft International, a tactical training company for the U.S. military and law enforcement communities.

On February 2, 2013, Kyle and a companion, Chad Littlefield, were shot and killed at the Rough Creek Ranch-Lodge-Resort shooting range in Erath County, Texas.

The shooter was Eddie Ray Routh, a 25-year-old U.S. Marine Corps veteran from Lancaster, Texas. Kyle and Littlefield had reportedly taken Routh to the gun range in an effort to help him with his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Routh had been in and out of mental hospitals for at least two years and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. His family also said he suffered from PTSD from his time in the military. After the killings, Routh went to his sister's house in Midlothian and told her what he had done. 

A memorial service was held for Kyle at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 11, 2013. Kyle was buried on February 12, 2013, at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, after a funeral procession from Midlothian to Austin, stretching over 200 miles. Hundreds of people lined Interstate 35 to view the procession and pay their final respects to Kyle.

On February 24, 2015, Routh was found guilty of the deaths of Kyle and Littlefield with the jury returning the verdict in less than three hours of deliberations. The trial judge, Jason Cashon, immediately sentenced Routh to life in prison with no possibility of parole.

Soundtracks

1. Clint Eastwood, Gennady Loktionov - Taya's Theme
2. Van Morrison - Someone Like You
3. Ennio Morricone - The Funeral

Quotations

* * *

Taya Renae Kyle: If you think that this war isn't changing you you're wrong. You can only circle the flames so long.

* * *

Navy Doctor: Would you be surprised if I told you that Navy has credited you with... over 160 kills? Do you ever think that... you might have seen things or... done some things over there that you wish you hadn't?
Chris Kyle: Oh, that's not me. No.
Navy Doctor: What's not you?
Chris Kyle: I was just protecting my guys, they were trying to kill... our soldiers and I... I'm willing to meet my Creator and answer for every shot that I took. The thing that... haunts me are all the guys that I couldn't save. Now I'm willing and able to... be there but I'm not, I'm here I quit.
Navy Doctor: You can walk down any hall in this hospital. Looks like plenty soldiers need saving. You want to take a walk?
Chris Kyle: Sure.

* * *

Taya Renae Kyle: You're my husband, you're the father of my children. Even when you're here, you're not here. I see you, I feel you, but you're not here.

* * *

Wayne Kyle: There are three types of people in this world: sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. Some people prefer to believe that evil doesn't exist in the world, and if it ever darkened their doorstep, they wouldn't know how to protect themselves. Those are the sheep. Then you've got predators, who use violence to prey on the weak. They're the wolves. And then there are those blessed with the gift of aggression, an overpowering need to protect the flock. These men are the rare breed who live to confront the wolf. They are the sheepdog.

* * *

Taya Renae Kyle: I need you... to be human again. I need you here.

* * *

Chris Kyle: I'm not redneck; I'm Texas!
Taya Renae Kyle: What's the difference?
Chris Kyle: We ride horses, they ride their cousins.

* * *

Marc Lee: You got some kind of saviour complex?
Chris Kyle: No. I just want to get the bad guys, but if I can't see them I can't shoot them.

* * *

Taya Renae Kyle: Did you always want to be a soldier?
Chris Kyle: I wanted to be a cowboy, but I did that and felt I needed something more.
Taya Renae Kyle: So you decided to rescue girls from bars?
Chris Kyle: I think I rescued the bar from you.

* * *

Chris Kyle: God, country, family, right?

* * *

Chris Kyle: You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
Taya Renae Kyle: I have an alien growing inside of me.

* * *

You may see the trailer here.

Plot: 8/10

Entertainment: 7/10

Acting: 8/10

Originality: 7/10

Music and Sound: 7/10

7/10