Happy Saturday all! Hope the weekend finds everyone getting to enjoy that ever-elusive thing….FREE TIME! And perhaps getting a little relaxation in there as well! As 2015 continues, it of course brings about more new films to view and review. While I often tend to wait a day before writing a review, this one I decided could not wait. So without further fuss, I bring you…..”American Sniper”
SEE THE TRAILER HERE
Based on the biographical novel of the same name and directed by Hollywood icon Clint Eastwood, the film starts by placing us right in the thick of a convoy in Iraq, doing house-house searches for insurgents under the watchful scope of S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) and his spotter, bringing us to the brink of a heart-pounding decision to be made. Flashback to Odessa, TX and we get the childhood background of Kyle (Cole Konis), a stand-up but sometimes IN trouble kid, who’s a mix of natural shooting talent and fighter, mostly thanks to his loving but no-nonsense father(Ben Reed) instilling in Chris and younger brother Jeff (Luke Sunshine) that when you start something, finish it. The story fast forwards again to Kyle’s early adult years as a rodeo rider and the subsequent drama he gets himself into, still with his brother (Keir O’Donnell) at his side. But things change upon Chris seeing a story on the news about embassy bombings and soon, he is in the BUD/S training program and honing his shooting skills to become a superior marksman. While this is happening, he also ends up meeting a woman, Taya (Sienna Miller), whom he ultimately marries and desires to start a family with. But duty calls, gut-wrenchingly so in the wake of 9/11 occurring, and soon Kyle finds himself on his first tour in Iraq and bringing us back to the film’s beginning moments, only this time, the scene continues to its conclusion. From this moment, things get really intense and emotional, as we follow Kyle on the various missions he is sent on to be the “overwatch” to the Marines on the ground. More and more combatants fall to his deadly accuracy, but in performing these actions, Kyle is also witness to some of the atrocities and mindsets of the enemies he’s ordered to hunt. It is in the midst of this that we are starting to see, little by little, the toll on Kyle’s conscious his job is taking, and the constant coming and going on multiple tours begins to fracture his marriage and the time with his family as a whole. Even when at home, vainly trying to get back to “normal”, his mind is still in the horror of combat in Iraq, and is additionally focused on taking out one enemy combatant in particular who has been wrecking havoc with the American troops. When life finally DOES get back to normal through amazing fortitude and determination, a final act of kindness takes us to the story’s conclusion. Further details would constitute spoilers.
Folks….this is Clint Eastwood directing as only Clint Eastwood can. For me, this effort stands up there, WITHOUT question, with several of his other masterpieces ie: “Gran Torino” and “Unforgiven”. As I was honestly expecting, this is a story, much less a TRUE story, that illustrates a major point….war is NOT glorious. The toll it takes on those fighting it on our behalf truly IS something we NEED to acknowledge and be willing to help with when they come home. The sheer LEVEL of bravery and selflessness these men reflect is an inspiration, actually. I had a similar emotional reaction to “Saving Private Ryan” and “We Were Soldiers” as well. And the silence in the theater during the closing credits was equally charged with real emotion and RESPECT for what Chris Kyle DID stand for…..our freedom. Bradley Cooper is riveting as Kyle, bringing to us the picture of a patriotic American solider who was more than willing to do his duty, do it with lethal effectiveness, yet ALSO attempt to be a father, a husband, a brother in arms, and a help to others in need. But again, IN this strength, the inner turmoil associated with his actions slowly eats away at his being, and the struggle is VERY vivid in its execution on screen, with EACH nuance of this brought to life in Cooper’s performance. Sienna Miller is also VERY solid playing Taya Kyle, a deeply loving wife who has her own inner struggles with what Kyle is doing and how it is to deal with his absence. There are some SERIOUSLY heart-wrenching moments in several phone calls Kyle makes to her while in country, and Miller makes you feel it all. Visually, the film is equal parts raw, visceral, and tension-filled while also providing some incredibly moving and dramatic sequences that graphically paint the WHOLE picture of Kyle’s life in and out of the tours he did. A pulsing, equally tension-based soundtrack adds to the action scenes especially and to a point where I found myself wringing my hands more and more, anticipating what MIGHT happen, sometimes awed and shocked at what DID, and causing me to be even MORE thankful to the men and women who ARE putting their lives on the line EVERY day in Iraq. In summary, I found “American Sniper” to BE all I wanted from Eastwood’s deft directing skills, Cooper’s serious growth as an actor, and honoring the sacrifice our troops make to help provide and defend the freedoms we treasure in this great nation. Emotional, intense, honest, real, inspired…..this film has all those qualities and more.
As always, this is all for YOUR consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
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