american sniper
2015 review number 9:
American Sniper: (War/Drama): 80 out of 100: Clint Eastwood has made some memorable movies over the years and even though this is not his best film, he still shows that at the age of 84, he is still capable of directing some fine films. It will be a great loss to the film world when he departs the scene.
Bradley Cooper plays Chris Kyle, the legendary sniper who served four tours of duty in the Middle East. The movie starts off with him targeting a child and deliberating whether to shoot him or not before flashing back to some brief scenes in his childhood and young adulthood. We witness his family life involving his wife played by Sienna Miller along with the war scenes with his comrades. All four tours of duty are covered and we also see the growth of his family in his two children.
Clint Eastwood sure is an expert director who usually tells his stories efficiently. He doesn't resort to the quick edits which can often ruin an action movie. He always seems to extract fine performances from his cast. If there is one complaint, it's that some of the actors mumble their lines.
Bradley Cooper has come a long way from his "Hangover" days and has been nominated for an Oscar for the third straight year. He delivers a nuanced performance that highlights the agony and ecstasy that Kyle experiences. Miller's role as the wife allows her to brilliantly display a range of emotions and perfectly demonstrate the life that an armed
service wife leads.
If there is one minor fault with the movie, it's that the story tries to cover too much ground. It either needed to be longer to include more detail or only explicitly cover a couple of tours of duty. The plot for what it's worth is still interesting, exciting and emotionally moving.
"American Sniper" is a fine addition to the war genre. It's not in the top echelon of war films but it is still an expertly made film that will have you interested, moved and entertained.
Starring Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller
(132 minutes)
Parental advice: Violence and coarse language
Additional scene during or after credits: (Warning, spoiler ahead) Yes, there are photos of the real Chris Kyle along with footage from his funeral
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5bP1f_1o-zo (Movie trailer)
(Reviewed on Thursday 22nd January, 2015)
© 2015 by LAI FILMS
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