Genre: Biography, war drama
Director: Clint Eastwood
Plot: A biography of Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL sniper who has been credited with over 160 kills during his four tours in Iraq.
The gist: I've heard about the controversy surrounding this movie, about how it makes Muslims look bad. Honestly, I don't see that aspect here. I can understand how some people may look at it that way, but I chose to focus on the story and the man in question, which is what viewers should do.
This is the story of the late Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL sniper who did four tours in Iraq, and was known as a legend among his peers. The film tells it from his childhood briefly before showing how he was a Texan cowboy who eventually decided to stop riding rodeo horses and serve his country as a soldier.
Director Clint Eastwood focuses most of the film on his four tours in Iraq and how he was determined to hunt members of Al-Qaeda, particularly a sniper named Mustafa. In between, Eastwood inserts scenes of Kyle at home with his wife Taya and how his career affects their relationship.
The good: Bradley Cooper is splendid as Chris Kyle, bulking up and training hard to look the part as well as portray a man who is dedicated to serving his country and protect his fellow men. Sienna Miller is also quite good as his wife, Taya. Also noteworthy are the battle scenes, and a few of the sniper scenes can be downright tense.
The bad: It almost feels like the film merely scratches the surface of the real Chris Kyle's story. Was he merely a loyal and dedicated soldier who just wants to help his men? Was his only regret being unable to save the men who died fighting next to him? The story feels almost too perfect. But some actual footage of Kyle's funeral which Eastwood inserts at the end is a nice touch, as it shows how much the American people loved him.
Verdict: It's a good biography movie, but not exactly Clint Eastwood's best work. Bradley Cooper is commendable though. (7/10)
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