American Sniper right on target

I promise this is the first, last, and only review where I will use the words “Wow, this movie blew my mind.” Released over the weekend of Jan. 16, American Sniper set seven Hollywood box office records. That’s quite a tribute to Warner Brothers marketing, the Oscar hoopla, Bradley Cooper’s popularity, director Clint Eastwood’s skills, and, as my wife so astutely noted, maybe America is looking for a hero. I don’t recall hearing or seeing as much media “chatter” about a film since Mel Gibson’s 2004 story The Passion of the Christ.

All the hoopla combined with a brilliant piece of work suggests no let down in the attendance in the weeks ahead, so it’s likely many of you may have already seen this. If that’s the case read on, compare notes, and let me know what you think. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it, but with a strong “heads up.” There are numerous “up close and personal” combat scenes which puts the realities of fighting the terrorists (in this case in Iraq) front and center, and it will most likely leave you emotionally drained. There was not an empty seat in the theatre where I attended, and the silence as the audience filed out was deafening. And, if you are like me and don’t like profanity, you will probably learn to deal with it this time out.

Unless you’ve been living in a vacuum lately, you know this story is about Navy Seal Chris Kyle, who became the most proficient American sniper in our military’s history, saving an untold number of lives, and when not sniping was a man among men in the “face to face” street battles encountered by our troops. Bradley Cooper’s performance as our hero is most assuredly the best of the year, and if he doesn’t win the Oscar its’ highway robbery.

There are three things among many that stand out in American Sniper. First, Clint Eastwood’s directing. Once again he establishes himself as the best there is. His presence is obvious in every facet of the film, from the editing and spectacular shots to the influence on the performances of everyone on screen.

Second, the acting itself. Attribute a lot of that to Eastwood’s leadership, but Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller, who plays his wife Taya, rise to the occasion. (The moment where they first meet is priceless and probably has the best dialogue of any scene in the movie.) The rest of the supporting cast is also outstanding, but Cooper is a shining star.

Third, the story itself. True stories usually make for the best films, this is no exception. From brief moments of his childhood, through adolescence, and Navy Seal boot-camp, and on to Iraq the story is mesmerizing. Its’ like a good book, you can’t put it down, except in this case you won’t leave your seat, and if you’re like me and the audience around me, you won’t move an inch once it starts.

Questions or comments: tsansom2002@gmail.com.

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