American Sniper

[Sgt_Gath]

American Sniper



Hmmm... Not so sure about this one, to be honest.

Maybe it was Eastwood's trademark sentimentality. Maybe it was the pressure from Kyle's family to be "respectful" at all costs. In any case, however, the end result struck me as being more than a bit "sanitized," and even vaguely "cheesy" in comparison to some of the other war movies I've seen recently.

I mean... Don't get me wrong. There are some intense scenes in this movie, and I like the message they're going for. However, in comparison to Fury, or even the Hurtlocker, the film comes off as being rather tame, predictable, and overly "clean." It would have benefited from a bit more grit, IMO.

Where the film does succeed, on the other hand, is in its portrayal of the impact the war had on Kyle's family and home life. Honestly, this is probably a better movie about PTSD and the stress of reintegration faced by soldiers returning home from war than it is about war itself.

Even then, however, Kyle comes off as being just a tad too saintly to be completely believable.

We're talking about the guy who may or may not have lied through his teeth about punching out Governor Jessie Ventura here (which the movie completely ignores), after all.

Did Chris Kyle deck Jesse Ventura? | San Diego Reader

I'm not really sure if I buy the almost completely straight-laced "aw shucks" country boy portrayal of him the movie tries to sell.

In any eventuality, all of this aside, it's not a "bad" movie. It's just not quite what I was expecting.

Overall: 6.5 out 10

 

[Roadrunner]

American Sniper



Hmmm... Not so sure about this one, to be honest.

Maybe it was Eastwood's trademark sentimentality. Maybe it was the pressure from Kyle's family to be "respectful" at all costs. In any case, however, the end result struck me as being more than a bit "sanitized," and even vaguely "cheesy" in comparison to some of the other war movies I've seen recently.

I mean... Don't get me wrong. There are some intense scenes in this movie, and I like the message they're going for. However, in comparison to Fury, or even the Hurtlocker, the film comes off as being rather tame, predictable, and overly "clean." It would have benefited from a bit more grit, IMO.

Where the film does succeed, on the other hand, is in its portrayal of the impact the war had on Kyle's family and home life. Honestly, this is probably a better movie about PTSD and the stress of reintegration faced by soldiers returning home from war than it is about war itself.

Even then, however, Kyle comes off as being just a tad too saintly to be completely believable.

We're talking about the guy who may or may not have lied through his teeth about punching out Governor Jessie Ventura here (which the movie completely ignores), after all.

Did Chris Kyle deck Jesse Ventura? | San Diego Reader

I'm not really sure if I buy the almost completely straight-laced "aw shucks" country boy portrayal of him the movie tries to sell.

In any eventuality, all of this aside, it's not a "bad" movie. It's just not quite what I was expecting.

Overall: 6.5 out 10

I'll see it when it hits AMC or TCM, if I live that long.

 

[WelfareQueen]

I'm gonna see it with my lady this evening. I'll let folks know. I will say I have worked with many vets suffering from PTSD (I'm a therapist). I know exactly what it looks like and the impact on the families.

The biggest surprise I think for most civilians is to understand the anger many vets have that came back from Iraq or Afghanistan. Just the massive stupidity of it all. I hope this movie accurately portraits what those guys went through.

 

[aaronleland]

I plan on watching it tonight. He's certainly an interesting character.

I was listening to the Opie and Anthony interview where he discusses punching Jesse Ventura just a few days ago. What struck me about him is how humble he really was. He said that his publicist was the one who dubbed him "the deadliest sniper in the US military". He called many of them lucky shots.

 

[georgephillip]

"Kyle seemed to consider himself a cross between a lawman and an executioner. His platoon had spray-painted the image of the Punisher—a Marvel Comics character who wages 'a one-man war upon crime'—on their flak jackets and helmets..."

"Like many soldiers, Kyle was deeply religious and saw the Iraq War through that prism. He tattooed one of his arms with a red crusader’s cross, wanting 'everyone to know I was a Christian...'"

"He 'hated the damn savages' he was fighting. In his book, he recounts telling an Army colonel, 'I don’t shoot people with Korans. I’d like to, but I don’t.'”

In the Crosshairs - The New Yorker

 

[WelfareQueen]

Sherry and I saw the movie tonight. This is strictly my opinion, I'll let Sherry speak for herself. I thought it was well worth seeing. Well acted and well written. I think the OP is correct in that the movie was more about reintegration back into American Society by combat troops versus the actual war itself. In that instances, I think it was fairly accurate. Maybe the OP is correct in that it might have been overly sanitized, but it terms of PTSD and issues for combat soldiers I thought it was accurate.

Overall, I think the movie was well worth seeing. I believe Chris Kyle was an honorable soldier and an American hero. I would give it 8.0 out of 10.

Sherry thinks an 8.0 as well.

 

[Sherry]

I like movies that keep me pondering about the subject matter well after I've left the theater. I was interested in seeing the film because it was based on a true story, and that it was directed by Clint Eastwood. I thought the combat scenes were accurately depicted, and without a lot of excessive gore. I did think that it offered a window into the psyche of Chris Kyle, and how a soldier, in the act of duty, develops a certain numbness. As a viewer, the kill shots stopped having the same impact on me, and I had an understanding of how it's necessary to remove the emotion within that moment. However, the emotions are still there, and will need to be dealt with at some point. This is where the movie really gives the big picture in regard to how vets and their families have to deal with that fallout. I thought the scene in the bed was quite compelling in highlighting the difference between men and women, when Chris was very logical and detached in telling his wife that she'd be fine if something happened to him...it was such a male response. Yet she was horrified that he wasn't relating to the pain that even just those thoughts caused her. I haven't read the book, but at least in the movie, I think a lot of the journey for Chris was abbreviated. I'm sure there were more "outbursts" that led to the visit with the therapist, and that his personal healing through working with vets wasn't an overnight cure. Chris Kyle was a man who believed that he was here to serve a purpose, and while he had his share of shortcomings, he was an honorable man who loved serving his country and her countrymen.

 

[Gracie]

I would like to see it, but I gotta wait til it comes out on DVD. I dont do the movie thing.

 

[strollingbones]

never caring for the docudrama genre...i will pass...plus i am just not much for war movies of any kind

 

[Rocko]

I probably would give it a 7 or 8 out of 10 as well. Bradley Cooper did a good job, the war scenes I thought were terrific (except for the last one, which I didn't like). Where I think the movie really succeeds is it gives you a sense of what these young men and women go through and how war takes it's toll on them. I would have liked for them to show more of Kris Kyle's struggle in getting better. I'm sure it was a long difficult process. All in all I though it was a very good movie, but it did fall short of the hype.

 

[ChrisL]

I would like to see it because it seems fascinating, and I remember seeing an interview with this man on the Today Show, but I know it's going to be really sad. I try to avoid those kinds of movies if at all possible.

 

[Sgt_Gath]

I would like to see it because it seems fascinating, and I remember seeing an interview with this man on the Today Show, but I know it's going to be really sad. I try to avoid those kinds of movies if at all possible.

I'd recommend it if you get a chance. It wasn't all that much of a "tear-jerker," I thought.

 

[AquaAthena]

I'm gonna see it with my lady this evening. I'll let folks know. I will say I have worked with many vets suffering from PTSD (I'm a therapist). I know exactly what it looks like and the impact on the families.

The biggest surprise I think for most civilians is to understand the anger many vets have that came back from Iraq or Afghanistan. Just the massive stupidity of it all. I hope this movie accurately portraits what those guys went through.

I thought it, wonderful. It is the second highest grossing film in history as of this post. I liked it because it also focused on family and the effects of war on it and conflicting emotions, to go home and be a husband and dad, or do another tour, his fifth, to help save lives of Americans and Iraqis, alike. The film was moving and suspenseful. And it was accurate, according to his widow and the SEALs with whom he served.

 

[AquaAthena]

I would like to see it because it seems fascinating, and I remember seeing an interview with this man on the Today Show, but I know it's going to be really sad. I try to avoid those kinds of movies if at all possible.

I'd recommend it if you get a chance. It wasn't all that much of a "tear-jerker," I thought.

True. I took plenty of tissues in with me, but didn't need any except towards the end when Texas buried Chris Klye. Someone might find this interesting. I'll post the last paragraph, first. ( interesting comments after article )
---------------

"To this day, no one in the White House has ever acknowledged Chris Kyle."

"However, the President can call some sport person and congratulate him on announcing to the world that he is gay? What the hell is happening to our
society, our honor and our pride??"

A TEXAS GOODBYE

This is why America will remain strong. We take care of our own as well as others who may not deserve taking care of. I just wanted to share with you all that out of a horrible tragedy we were blessed by so many people.

Chris Kyle was Derek's teammate through 10 years of training and battle. They both suffer/suffered from PTSD to some extent and took great care of each other because of it.

2006 in Ramadi was horrible for young men that never had any more aggressive physical contact with another human than on a Texas football field.

They lost many friends. Chris became the armed services number #1 sniper of all time. Not something he was happy about, other than the fact that in so doing, he saved a lot of American lives.

Three years ago, his wife Taya asked him to leave the SEAL teams as he had a huge bounty on his head by Al Qaeda. He did and wrote the book "The American Sniper." 100% of the proceeds from the book went to two of the SEAL families who had lost their sons in Iraq .

That was the kind of guy Chris was. He formed a company in Dallas to train military, police and I think firemen as far as protecting themselves in difficult situations. He also formed a foundation to work with military people suffering from PTSD. Chris was a giver not a taker.

He, along with a friend and neighbor, Chad Littlefield, were murdered trying to help a young man that had served six months in Iraq and claimed to have PTSD.

Now I need to tell you about all of the blessings.

Southwest Airlines flew in any SEAL and their family from any airport they flew into
...free of charge.

The employees donated buddy passes and one lady worked for four days without much of a break to see that it happened.

Volunteers were at both airports in Dallas to drive them to the hotel.

The Marriott Hotel reduced their rates to $45 a night and cleared the hotel for only SEALs and family.

The Midlothian, TX Police Department paid the $45 a night for each room. I would guess there were about 200 people staying at the hotel, 100 of them were SEALs. Two large buses were chartered (an unknown donor paid the bill) to transport people to the different events and they also had a few rental cars (donated). The police and secret service were on duty 24 hours during the stay at our hotel.

At the Kyle house, the Texas DPS parked a large motor home in front to block the view from reporters. It remained there the entire five days for the SEALs to congregate in and all to use the restroom so as not to have to go in the house. Taya, their two small children and both sets of parents were staying in the home.

Only a hand full of SEALs went into the home as they had different duties and meetings were held sometimes on a hourly basis. It was a huge coordination of many different events and security. Derek was assigned to be a Pall Bearer, to escort Chris' body when it was transferred from the Midlothian Funeral Home to the Arlington Funeral Home, and to be with Taya. A tough job.

Taya seldom came out of her bedroom. The house was full with people from the church and other family members that would come each day to help. I spent one morning in a bedroom with Chris’ mom and the next morning with Chad Littlefield's parents (the other man murdered with Chris). A tough job.

George W Bush and his wife Laura met and talked to everyone on the Seal Team one on one. They went behind closed doors with Taya for quite a while. They had prayer with us all. You can tell when people were sincere and caring

Nolan Ryan sent his cooking team, a huge grill and lots of steaks, chicken and hamburgers. They set up in the front yard and fed people all day long including the 200 SEALs and their families. The next day a local BBQ restaurant set up a buffet in front of the house and fed all once again. Food was plentiful and all were taken care of. The family's church kept those inside the house well fed.

Jerry Jones, the man everyone loves to hate, was a rock star. He made sure that we all were taken care of. His wife and he were just making sure everyone was taken care of….Class... He donated the use of Cowboy Stadium for the services as it was determined that so many wanted to attend.

The charter buses transported us to the stadium on Monday at 10:30 am. Every car, bus, motorcycle was searched with bomb dogs and police. I am not sure if kooks were making threats trying to make a name for themselves or if so many SEALs in one place was a security risk, I don't know. We willingly obliged. No purses went into the stadium!

We were taken to The Legends room high up and a large buffet was available. That was for about 300 people. We were growing.

A Medal of Honor recipient was there, lots of secret service and police and Sarah Palin and her husband. She looked nice, this was a very formal military service.

The service started at 1:00 pm and when we were escorted onto the field I was shocked. We heard that about 10,000 people had come to attend also. They were seated in the stadium seats behind us. It was a beautiful and emotional service.

The Bagpipe and drum corps were wonderful and the Texas A&M men's choir stood through the entire service and sang right at the end. We were all in tears.

The next day was the 200-mile procession from Midlothian, TX to Austin for burial. It was a cold, drizzly, windy day, but the people were out. We had dozens of police motorcycles riders, freedom riders, five chartered buses and lots of cars. You had to have a pass to be in the procession and still it was huge. Two helicopters circled the procession with snipers sitting out the side door for protection. It was the longest funeral procession ever in the state of Texas. People were everywhere. The entire route was shut down ahead of us, the people were lined up on the side of the road the entire way. Firemen were down on one knee, police officers were holding their hats over their hearts, children waving flags, veterans saluting as we went by. Every bridge had fire trucks with large flags displayed from their tall ladders, people all along the entire 200 miles were standing in the cold weather. It was so heartwarming. Taya rode in the hearse with Chris' body so Derek rode the route with us. I was so grateful to have that time with him.

The service was at Texas National Cemetery. Very few are buried there and you have to apply to get in. It is like people from the Civil War, Medal of Honor winners, a few from the Alamo and all the historical people of Texas. It was a nice service and the Freedom Riders surrounded the outside of the entire cemetery to keep the crazy church people from Kansas that protest at military funerals away from us.

Each SEAL put his Trident (metal SEAL badge) on the top of Chris' casket, one at a time. A lot hit it in with one blow. Derek was the only one to take four taps to put his in and it was almost like he was caressing it as he did it. Another tearful moment.

After the service Governor Rick Perry and his wife, Anita, invited us to the governor's mansion. She stood at the door, greeted each of us individually, and gave each of the SEALs a coin of Texas. She was a sincere, compassionate, and gracious hostess.

We were able to tour the ground floor and then went into the garden for beverages and BBQ. So many of the Seal team guys said that after they get out they are moving to Texas. They remarked that they had never felt so much love and hospitality. The charter buses then took the guys to the airport to catch their returning flights. Derek just now called and after a 20 hours flight he is back in his spot, in a dangerous land on the other side of the world, protecting America.

We just wanted to share with you, the events of a quite emotional, but blessed week.

Punch-line:

To this day, no one in the White House has ever acknowledged Chris Kyle.

However, the President can call some sport person and congratulate him on announcing to the world that he is gay? What the hell is happening to our
society, our honor and our pride??

A TEXAS GOODBYE TO CHRIS KYLE - I don t know who wrote this but to whomever....God bless you and thanks. - Constitutional Emergency

 

[ChrisL]

I would like to see it because it seems fascinating, and I remember seeing an interview with this man on the Today Show, but I know it's going to be really sad. I try to avoid those kinds of movies if at all possible.

I'd recommend it if you get a chance. It wasn't all that much of a "tear-jerker," I thought.

Well, I saw the ads on TV, and it looks sad, and the fact that he's dead now and HOW he died. That's pretty sad too.

 

[Sgt_Gath]

I would like to see it because it seems fascinating, and I remember seeing an interview with this man on the Today Show, but I know it's going to be really sad. I try to avoid those kinds of movies if at all possible.

I'd recommend it if you get a chance. It wasn't all that much of a "tear-jerker," I thought.

Well, I saw the ads on TV, and it looks sad, and the fact that he's dead now and HOW he died. That's pretty sad too.

Yea. They don't show that thankfully. All they show is his funeral, and that's at the very end.

 

[ChrisL]

I would like to see it because it seems fascinating, and I remember seeing an interview with this man on the Today Show, but I know it's going to be really sad. I try to avoid those kinds of movies if at all possible.

I'd recommend it if you get a chance. It wasn't all that much of a "tear-jerker," I thought.

Well, I saw the ads on TV, and it looks sad, and the fact that he's dead now and HOW he died. That's pretty sad too.

Yea. They don't show that thankfully. All they show is his funeral, and that's at the very end.

I would like to see it because it seems fascinating, and I remember seeing an interview with this man on the Today Show, but I know it's going to be really sad. I try to avoid those kinds of movies if at all possible.

I'd recommend it if you get a chance. It wasn't all that much of a "tear-jerker," I thought.

Well, I saw the ads on TV, and it looks sad, and the fact that he's dead now and HOW he died. That's pretty sad too.

Yea. They don't show that thankfully. All they show is his funeral, and that's at the very end.

Sgt_Gath, I am a wimp when it comes to sad movies and will sit there and bawl my eyes out. Lol! I thought even the ads for this movie made me feel a little sad.

 

[Sgt_Gath]

Sgt_Gath, I am a wimp when it comes to sad movies and will sit there and bawl my eyes out. Lol! I thought even the ads for this movie made me feel a little sad.

Lol. Alright, alright.

I thought you wimminz actually liked a good cry every now and then though?

 

[ChrisL]

Sgt_Gath, I am a wimp when it comes to sad movies and will sit there and bawl my eyes out. Lol! I thought even the ads for this movie made me feel a little sad.

Lol. Alright, alright.

I thought you wimminz actually liked a good cry every now and then though?

It depends a lot on the subject matter too, I think. I watch sad movies sometimes, and it's probably an excellent movie, but I wouldn't run out to the theater to see it. This seemed to me to be a lot about his relationships and like a character study, with him trying to come to terms with his role as a sniper, taking lives, etc. I think I might find that to be a little sad.

 

[Sgt_Gath]

Sgt_Gath, I am a wimp when it comes to sad movies and will sit there and bawl my eyes out. Lol! I thought even the ads for this movie made me feel a little sad.

Lol. Alright, alright.

I thought you wimminz actually liked a good cry every now and then though?

It depends a lot on the subject matter too, I think. I watch sad movies sometimes, and it's probably an excellent movie, but I wouldn't run out to the theater to see it. This seemed to me to be a lot about his relationships and like a character study, with him trying to come to terms with his role as a sniper, taking lives, etc. I think I might find that to be a little sad.

Gotcha. Well, if you ever do wind up seeing it, let me know what you think!