American Sniper Movie Review
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The autobiography of Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. history, comes to life in Clint Eastwood’s tempestuous adaption of American Sniper.
American Sniper’s war scenes are suspenseful and gritty; Eastwood carefully addresses the horror of urban battle without leaning on gratuitous violence, although the movie tends to devolve into your typical war movie tropes and cliches at times. This misstep is never more prevalent than during the film’s constant flash backs and in-between Kyle’s tours of duty. Sienna Miller is awkward as Taya Kyle, Chris’s wife and mother of his children. Cooper and Miller’s chemistry is non-existent, which contributes little in building the audiences sympathy for this family’s emotional journey. Also…the fake baby is inexcusable. Chris Kyle’s Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is glossed over in favor of the film’s Call of Duty action sequences. The movie does have a beginning, middle and end, but nevertheless feels incomplete by not fully exploring the negative effects of Kyle’s war heroics.
I’m not particularly impressed with Clint Eastwood’s war drama, I don’t believe it is worthy of the hype, which as of this morning also includes an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. It’s good, but it’s not great.