This movie has been a long time coming. From being linked to rumours of who’ll take the camera to who will play the most decorated sniper in American History. The end product, Clint Eastwood delivers, is a war memoir of a hero and what his life became on returning.
The film journeys alongside Chris
Kyle (Bradley Cooper), a Texan, coming from a humble but tough home; from having his father
teaching him that there are three types of people in this world, sheep, wolves
and sheepdogs. He is identified early up as sheepdog to all sheep, to protect
them from wolves, as he goes about protecting his brother from local bullies.
With time he took to what he
loved best; being a cowboy and then a rodeo performer. His life is happy for a
while, but then he wished to do more. Signing up to undergo BUD/S (SEAL
Training), he made it through the toughest training program on the planet to
get through and then chose becoming a sniper.
After the September 11 attacks,
the armed forces mobilized to move into Iraq to liberate the country from
Saddam and Kyle’s unit was tasked with protecting Marines that cleared houses
from insurgents. The movie details how he got through his first kill and then gained
his reputation as a legend with 160 confirmed kills. It showcases unflinchingly
the tough calls a sniper has to make in the battlefield; his first kill being
shown was a child and a woman who were carrying an explosive towards a Marine
tank.
The movie goes on detailing how
he took on more roles than just being a sniper, participating in direct action
with marines. It also chronicles a rivalry between him and an Iraqi sniper on
the other side of the fence, this account is fictionalized but gives way to
much of the tension in the important bits of the film.
What is all the more interesting
in this movie is how Kyle reacted to civilian life after each tour; His senses
keener to disturbances and anticipating danger at any moment. This behaviour took
a heavy toll on his family life over the four tours he served in the war. His behaviour
gets more and more drastic when decides to call it quits on the Navy carrier.
On seeking help, he realizes his
next purpose in life; to protect and foster the sheep that have already met the
wolves and barely made it. He actively conducted rehabilitation activities for
veterans who were back and suffering from PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder) and/or were left handicapped by
the war.
If you have already read the book then this movie acts as a character refreshment for you. You re-imagine how you pictured the scenarios from the book. Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller have both brilliantly acted out their parts. Cooper deserves special credits for his consummate portrayal of Chris Kyle; from the speech, to stare, to built and demeanor. The Octogenarian Eastwood behind the camera, once again proves his mettle in directing war based movies with steady footage and crisp scenes.
I’d recommend this movie to not
just any action fan but also anyone who loves to watch movies on the human
element in heroes. It seeks to describe to the audience that, war is not a ‘shoot,
kill, get out’ affair. You have to give up a lot and it will take from you a
lot more.
And If you do like this movie, I urge you to definitely pick up the book!
Verdict: 4/5
PS: Do watch Lone Survivor,
another movie on these military heroes in the line of absurd circumstances that
took no prisoners. Extremely well acted out by Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch and
Ben Foster with Peter Berg behind the camera .
Chris Kyle (1974-2013)
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