American Sniper (2014)

I put off seeing this movie until it got into the cheap seat theaters, and I did so in part because I have some, we'll call them 'concerns' about Chris Kyle's philosophy, attitudes, and politics. American Sniper is already the highest grossing American war film of all time (not adjusting for inflation) and director Clint Eastwood's (no small name he) biggest box office success ever, either in front of or behind the camera. Based on the same titled memoire of the man generally regarded as the deadliest marksman in U.S. history, Sniper tells the story of Chris Kyle (excellently portrayed by Bradley Cooper), his patriotic/conservative religious upbringing, time on the rodeo circuit with his brother, enlistment and training with the Navy, romance and marriage with his wife Taya (Sienna Miller), the births of their children, and for good measure his four tours of service in Iraq, where he was really good at shooting the enemy. To further push this last point home, which is arguably the whole point of the movie, for some reason it was decided to create a fictional enemy sniper to pit Kyle against, as a kind of evil mirror version of himself. I don't think that was necessary, the movie does a fine job of communicating what an amazing shot and living legend Kyle became even after only a short time 'in country'.

The movie is episodic, and bit sparse on context which I guess it assumes that its audience is already aware of, Kyle is portrayed as anxious to go overseas to get revenge for 9/11, only he of course was sent to Iraq which was not involved in 9/11. The movie is hagiography, it makes Kyle a Saint, which he wasn't wither you like him or not. The obvious point of comparisons for this movie to me was the 1941 movie Sergeant York with Gary Cooper. Alvin York was a great sharp shooter and war hero himself, and his Hollywood biopic also made a point of ironing out his character wrinkles and playing up his love story. The biggest difference between York and Kyle in my mind is York was a known reluctant warrior remembered for the people he didn't kill, York and seven of his men took 132 German solders prisoner in one raid in 1918, whereas Kyle wanted to go to war and is remembered for the number of people he killed, 160 confirmed and 255 or more by other accounts.

The Chris Kyle of this movie wins you over and is very down to earth, and certainly the real Kyle's death at the hands of a disturbed fellow veteran who he was trying to help was tragic. The montage of footage of the real Kyle's funeral shown at the end of the film made my sister cry. Clint Eastwood is an excellent director and was in his element here, and again you can't underplay the importance of Bradley Cooper's performance to the success of this film. Fine movie making, but as history to be taken with a grain of salt. ***1/2