American Sniper

At this early stage of the year, I don’t think it’s a stretch to call American Sniper the most controversial film released so far.  It is yet another one based off of a book, this time the autobiography of Chris Kyle, American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in US History.  A title that should probably flash a big red blinking light in the direction of where this film could go wrong.

Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) is a Texan, who after training as a SEAL went on to be deployed in Iraq, where he earned the nickname, ‘The Legend’.  As a sniper he had 255 kills, 160 of which are apparently confirmed by the US Department of Defense.  The film tells the story of his time in Iraq, but also focuses on his home life, as Kyle’s apparent need to be on the front and a part of the action, begins to take a toll on his relationship with his wife, Taya Kyle (Sienna Miller), and their young children (one of whom you may have seen floating round the internet due to how hilariously fake they are).  The film flits between Iraq and America, showing Kyle become a revered presence on the front line, as he battles against Mustafa, an enemy sniper.  Yet at the same time his ability to be a normal human being in the good old US of A, is compromised, by what appears to be post traumatic stress.

Before we get to all the controversy, I feel the need to talk about the performances, mainly from Cooper and Miller.  For despite everything wrong with this film, they are both very good.  Cooper has often played over the top characters, his roles in Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle both called for him to express himself in a very extroverted manner.  Here, he goes in the other direction.  With every tour of duty Kyle becomes more and more inward looking, unable to share with his wife exactly what is going on in his head.  Alongside this, he also becomes more and more driven.  Desperate to make a name for himself on the front line and to do what he perceives as his duty, as both an American and a man.

Miller meanwhile, manages to do a lot with a role that in different hands could have very easily become the typical doting wife.  She makes Taya Kyle a real person and through her we get a glimpse of what it is like for those left at home.  She struggles valiantly to continue living a normal life, but Miller does a great job of portraying her anguish, as her husband is absent both when he is away, but also when he is at home.

Performances aside, there is a lot to be questioned in this film.  Eastwood has become known for his stripped back film making and this is no different.  There is little fat on this film and in many ways it asks the reader to come to their own conclusions.  Through Kyle and some of his closest friends, we see some of the supposed masculinity of this conflict. The need to do what he feels is right for his country and to battle on, despite what it may be doing to both him and his family.  He is able to distance himself from the killing, because to him they are the enemy, the enemy who will take away (to sound very American) his freedom.  However, to think that is the only side of the story is to miss things.  Miller, as I already mentioned, shows the effect of this at home, but we also see soldiers questioning the conflict.  Kyle’s brother comes to war and seems horrified by the place and his surroundings.  It has to be said, there is less of this than I would have liked, likewise with seeing Kyle deal with it himself, but it is there and it allows the watcher to decide for themselves who is in the right.

Therefore, it is not in the promotion of war that I have a problem with this film, but rather in its depiction of Iraq.  There isn’t a single fleshed out Iraqi character and most of those we do see more than once, are shown as being evil and are discussed openly in such a way.  On the other hand, the American soldiers are all shown as good men, doing what they think is right for their country.  It’s a worrying depiction, that is entirely one-sided and too often draws close to American flag waving.  It is in this, that this film stops being an honest portrayal of war and becomes unsettling.  It makes you question whether this is the truth or if it is just another example of propaganda sent to make us think in a certain way.

It is this that stops me being able to declare American Sniper a good film.  However, I think it is harsh to completely dismiss it.  The two central performances are great and there are some genuine questions asked by Eastwood, which will make you think.  Unfortunately, the biggest question over the film comes as to whether we really need another movie, that depicts American as great and countries like Iraq as evil.