# American Sniper



## Sgt_Gath (Jan 17, 2015)

*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


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## Roadrunner (Jan 17, 2015)

Sgt_Gath said:


> *American Sniper*
> 
> 
> Hmmm... Not so sure about this one, to be honest.
> ...


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


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## WelfareQueen (Jan 17, 2015)

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.


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## aaronleland (Jan 17, 2015)

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.


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## georgephillip (Jan 17, 2015)

"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


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## WelfareQueen (Jan 17, 2015)

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.


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## Sherry (Jan 18, 2015)

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.


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## Gracie (Jan 20, 2015)

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


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## strollingbones (Jan 20, 2015)

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


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## Rocko (Jan 20, 2015)

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.


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## ChrisL (Jan 21, 2015)

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.


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## Sgt_Gath (Jan 21, 2015)

ChrisL said:


> 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.


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## AquaAthena (Jan 21, 2015)

WelfareQueen said:


> 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.


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## AquaAthena (Jan 21, 2015)

Sgt_Gath said:


> ChrisL said:
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> > 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.
> ...



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 Chrisâ€™ 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 ofâ€¦.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
*


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## ChrisL (Jan 21, 2015)

Sgt_Gath said:


> ChrisL said:
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> ...



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.


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## Sgt_Gath (Jan 21, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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


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## ChrisL (Jan 21, 2015)

Sgt_Gath said:


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Sgt_Gath said:


> ChrisL said:
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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.


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## Sgt_Gath (Jan 21, 2015)

ChrisL said:


> 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?


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## ChrisL (Jan 21, 2015)

Sgt_Gath said:


> ChrisL said:
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> > 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.
> ...



  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.


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## Sgt_Gath (Jan 21, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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


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## MikeK (Jan 21, 2015)

Gracie said:


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


I don't blame you, Gracie.

The reason being my recollection of "the movies" back in the '50s and '60s in New York includes such virtual palaces as the fabulous Fabian's _Fox_ theater in Brooklyn.  Fox Theatre in Brooklyn NY - Cinema Treasures

The ambience of this magnificent place was alone well worth the price of admission, which was sixty-five cents before 6PM, ninety-five cents after 6 and on weekends.   The typical program was two full length current feature films, two "short subjects (documentaries, etc.), a newsreel, and a comedy or two.  And entire afternoon or evening of entertainment for sixty-five cents.

The decor within this vastly spacious theater consisted of thick red velvet carpeting with polished brass trim, thick red velvet drapes hanging from ceiling height, broad red velvet carpeted marble staircases, and huge, magnificent hanging chandeliers.
There were three balcony levels with rest-room lounges on each level.  In the basement lounge there were comfortable sofas, rest-rooms, and a bank of telephone booths with folding doors, lights, sound-treated walls, a seat -- for a nickel a call.

Compare this experience with that of today's average _shoe-box_ movie "multi-plex" with hollow-sounding, uncarpeted wood floors, cramped seating, and noise from movies in the adjoining shoe-box "theaters."  And one movie is what you get for a typical ten-dollar admission.

This is why I haven't been to a movie in almost fifty years and wouldn't go to one if it was free, which is a simple truth.  .

the _Fox_ was just one of many magnificent theaters in what I now regard as the _old world of the movies."_  There were the New York (City) and the Brooklyn _Paramount_ theaters.  The Brooklyn _RKO Albee_ and the Loew's [/i]Metropolitan,"  In New York City there was the fabulous _Palace,_ and the biggest and most amazing of them all, the _Radio City Music Hall,_ which has survived the ravages of time and continues to present a magnificent Christmas stage show with the Rockettes.


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## Mr. H. (Jan 21, 2015)

The movie was meh. 

I was more impressed with the closing screen commentary and images.


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## Luddly Neddite (Jan 22, 2015)

I like docudramas and I like historical movies but it irritates the hell outta me that they are very seldom accurate. 

* Is American Sniper historically accurate? *
 
Clint Eastwood’s simplistic film about one of the deadliest snipers in US history piles on Bush-era propaganda and sharp-shoots the facts

Clint Eastwood’s movie slathers myths on top of Legend’s own legends. Audiences would be well advised to take American Sniper’s version of the war in Iraq with a very, very large pinch of salt.


AND


Here are seven lies about Chris Kyle and the story that director Clint Eastwood is telling:

*1. The Film Suggests the Iraq War Was In Response To 9/11:* One way to get audiences to unambiguously support Kyle's actions in the film is to believe he's there to avenge the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The movie cuts from Kyle watching footage of the attacks to him serving in Iraq, implying there is some link between the two.

*2. The Film Invents a Terrorist Sniper Who Works For Multiple Opposing Factions:* Kyle's primary antagonist in the film is a sniper named Mustafa. Mustafa is mentioned in a single paragraph in Kyle's book, but the movie blows him up into an ever-present figure and Syrian Olympic medal winner who fights for both Sunni insurgents in Fallujah and the Shia Madhi army.

*3. The Film Portrays Chris Kyle as Tormented By His Actions:* Multiple scenes in the movie portray Kyle as haunted by his service. One of the film's earliest reviews praised it for showing the “emotional torment of so many military men and women.” But that torment is completely absent from the book the film is based on. In the book, Kyle refers to everyone he fought as “savage, despicable” evil. He writes, “I only wish I had killed more.” He also writes, “I loved what I did. I still do. If circumstances were different – if my family didn't need me – I'd be back in a heartbeat. I'm not lying or exaggerating to say it was fun. I had the time of my life being a SEAL.” On an appearance on Conan O'Brien's show he laughs about accidentally shooting an Iraqi insurgent. He once told a military investigator that he doesn't “shoot people with Korans. I'd like to, but I don't.”

*4. The Real Chris Kyle Made Up A Story About Killing Dozens of People In Post-Katrina New Orleans:* Kyle claimed that he killed 30 people in the chaos of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, a story Louisiana writer Jarvis DeBerry calls “preposterous."  It shows the sort of mentality post-war Kyle had, but the claim doesn't appear in the film.

*5. The Real Chris Kyle Fabricated A Story About Killing Two Men Who Tried To Carjack Him In Texas:* Kyle told numerous people a story about killing two alleged carjackers in Texas. Reporters tried repeatedly to verify this claim, but no evidence of it exists.

*6. Chris Kyle Was Successfully Sued For Lying About the Former Governor of Minnesota:*Kyle alleged that former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura defamed Navy SEALs and got into a fight with him at a local bar. Ventura successfully sued Kyle for the passage in his book, and a jury awarded him $1.845 million.

*7. Chris Kyle's Family Claimed He Donated His Book Proceeds To Veterans' Charity, But He Kept Most Of The Profits:* The National Review debunks the claim that all proceeds of his book went to veterans' charities. Around 2 percent – $52,000 – went to the charities while the Kyles pocketed $3 million.

Although the movie is an initial box office hit, there is a growing backlash against its simplistic portrayal of the war and misleading take on Kyle's character.


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## Iceweasel (Jan 22, 2015)

If a movie pisses off the left it's on my short list to watch.


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## Luddly Neddite (Jan 22, 2015)

Iceweasel said:


> If a movie pisses off the left it's on my short list to watch.




Even though you know its fiction, even though you know you're being lied to ... 

Just like Fox.


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## MikeK (Jan 22, 2015)

Luddly Neddite said:


> I like docudramas and I like historical movies but it irritates the hell outta me that they are very seldom accurate.


Thanks for posting this critique.  It lends substance to my vague suspicions of and anticipation about the typical Hollywood treatment of these highly questionable "legends."

Because of my suspicions I had no intention of seeing this movie unless it shows up on HBO.  Now I'm even less inclined to watch it because it probably will piss me off.

The inordinate success of this propaganda film is a reflection of the current generation's need for war heroes to worship.  My generation has no such need because we have clear recollection of World War Two.

My father served in the Pacific.  His Army unit was one of those that relieved the Marines on Guadalcanal.  The Marines had made a very bloody landing there and had pushed the Japanese back to the hills, where they had bunkered down in pill-boxes and caves.  It was the Army's job to "mop up," which involved dealing with a lot of heavy machine-gun fire and four _Banzai_ charges.

The battle for Guadalcanal is just one of many tales of _real_ war, _real_ heroism, and _real_ sacrifice.  There are many more.  Such as the _Tarawa_ beachhead, the _Iwo Jima_ invasion  in the Pacific, the battle of _The Bulge_ and other major engagements in Europe that lasted weeks or months and caused more losses and maimings in one week than those sustained in the entire Iraq invasion and occupation.  (Over *2,500* Marines died on Iwo Jima on *Day One* of that invastion.)

Our generation had more than its share of heroism tales.  Today's generation doesn't have enough.  So there are movies like this fictionalized tale of ersatz _heroism._


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## Treeshepherd (Jan 22, 2015)

MikeK said:


> Luddly Neddite said:
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My grandfather and great grandfather served in the South Pacific. My grandfather's ship was sunk while he was on leave on Bougainville Island. He actually ran into my great Grandfather there after not having seen one another for 5 years and my great grandfather gave my grandfather some extra underclothing. I have copies of their letters home. Fascinating. Fortunately my grandfather didn't go to Iwo Jima or I probably wouldn't be here.

I thought Eastwood's Flags of our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima project was interesting. 

I had plans to see American Sniper yesterday. Changed my mind. The more I thought about it, the more this just seemed like a propaganda piece. I think I'll wait to rent it on DVD. 

I thought Hurt Locker was over-rated. They used the ticking time bomb too much as a theatrical device. They made up a story about the bomb maker which was never resolved. Nobody ever found the bomb maker.

I've heard American Sniper is similar in that it uses the cross hairs of the scope repeatedly as a theatrical device. Is he going to pull the trigger? Oh, the suspense. And then they invented the anti-sniper villain who is a sort of shadow character, similar to the bomb maker in Hurt Locker. 

The one poignant scene in Hurt Locker was after he comes home. He's shopping with the girlfriend and he's supposed to pick out some cereal. The camera shows him standing in front of 100 kinds of cereal, and these are the types of meaningless choices his life has been reduced to. Excellent scene, no explanation needed. Next scene, he's back in Iraq.


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## ChrisL (Jan 23, 2015)

Luddly Neddite said:


> I like docudramas and I like historical movies but it irritates the hell outta me that they are very seldom accurate.
> 
> * Is American Sniper historically accurate? *
> 
> ...



Wow, I did not know a lot of those things, but understandably they have to make a movie that people are going to want to see, so yes, they are most often going to be embellished.  Also, most of these types of movies are usually "based on a true story" which means they certainly do embellish the truth to make a more interesting story.  That does not mean it's not a good movie though.


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## MikeK (Jan 23, 2015)

Treeshepherd said:


> [...]
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> I thought Eastwood's Flags of our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima project was interesting.
> 
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I agree.  _Flags of Our Fathers_ was an excellent treatment of the Iwo Jima story because it viewed that major battle from both sides.  It was about the horrors of sustained combat with none of the typical emphasis on hate and _good_ vs _bad._


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## Sgt_Gath (Jan 23, 2015)

ChrisL said:


> Luddly Neddite said:
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True. Movies like to embellish things, and that's fine to a certain extent.

American Sniper bugs me a bit more than usual though.

A) This guy only died a year ago, so most people actually know what the real story was. It's too soon to go making things up.

B) It claims to be based on a book he wrote, when almost none of it is. It's basically fan-fiction starring Chris Kyle, not an actual description of his service.

C) It's not even particularly well done. It feels fake, and kind of dishonest, while also ignoring the more controversial aspects of his life.

IMO, they could have handled those aspects of the movie a lot better.

It was still a good movie about military families and PTSD. Don't get me wrong. However, the parts of the movie about war, and Chris Kyle at war, just kind of fell flat for me - especially so given the fact that most of the things shown never actually happened.


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## ChrisL (Jan 23, 2015)

Sgt_Gath said:


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That's true.  He did die a very short time ago.  I heard his wife was pretty happy with it though.


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## Sgt_Gath (Jan 23, 2015)

ChrisL said:


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> ...



Yea. The parts with his wife and family were pretty well done, I thought. It was also a really flattering portrayal of Kyle all the way around, with Cooper doing a *great* job in the role.

It was maybe just a tad _too_ flattering though, while playing a bit too fast and loose with the facts. lol

To each their own, however.


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## ChrisL (Jan 23, 2015)

Sgt_Gath said:


> ChrisL said:
> 
> 
> > Sgt_Gath said:
> ...



Well, like I said earlier, it's really not my kind of movie anyway.  I like comedies and action movies and stuff like that!  Even some psychological thrillers are okay, but I don't like feeling sad or depressed when watching a movie.  Although you say it's not that sad, I even thought the ads were a little sad.


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## Luddly Neddite (Jan 25, 2015)

Perspective


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## Vigilante (Jan 25, 2015)

Muttley will be pissed! I hope she wets herself! 

*Box Office: 'American Sniper' Hits $200M After $64M Weekend*

Forbes ^
Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper scored another stunning victory over its second weekend of wide release. The Warner Bros. /Time Warner TWX -2.14% Inc. war drama earned another $64.365 million over the weekend, which was a weekend-to-weekend drop of just 28%. It has now earned $200.137m domestic. That’s also the biggest non-debut-weekend in history for an R-rated film, easily besting the $53m second Friday of The Passion of the Christ as well the over/under $30m second weekends of Hannibal, The Matrix Reloaded, The Hangover, The Hangover part II, and 300. If there was any question, it is now clear that, inflation...


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## usmcstinger (Jan 31, 2015)

Sgt_Gath said:


> *American Sniper*
> 
> 
> Hmmm... Not so sure about this one, to be honest.
> ...




*Every Nation's Military has Snipers.*. When my GRUNT unit came down from our night position to link up with our Alfa Co.,on the way down we saw 2 Bloody USMC  Flak Jackets with bullet holes in the neck of each. As we were moving to take up defensive positions,  we passed by the Pancho Covered Marines who the NVA Sniper killed. I was shot at by NVA Snipers a few times. Thank God, they were lousy shots. We called them many things but not cowards. They were doing the same job as our Marine Snipers were doing.

Let's not forget the Grunts who fought up front and personal as well as all those who served in other parts of Combat Arms.

*Why is it that those who chose not serve in Armed Combat with our Armed Forces profess to know all about? *


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## iamwhatiseem (Feb 9, 2015)

Saw the movie finally yesterday.

My take:
1) As a movie, disregarding politics or opinions on the war itself -* 5 Stars *I was fully entertained and it certainly kept your attention.
2) The politics - *4 Stars. *What the loony critics do not take into account is the movie is made from the perspective of Kyle. And Kyle believed in the war, it's purpose and that he was fighting to protect Americans from an evil enemy. 
 And you know what? That is all that matters. The movie accurately portrayed his view of the war, and what he did. You don't like his opinion - fine. But your opinion has no bearing on the movie, and neither does anyone else's. Make your own movie.


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## Delta4Embassy (Feb 10, 2015)

Not surprisingly, we continue to glorify war and violence in the name of country while hypocritically condemning it when it's being done against us. We made a movie about a sniper who killed scores of people, gave him medals for killing well, and mourned his murder. Yet when a foreign combatant kills one our guys we condemn that but not when our guys do it to their's. Perfectly udnerstandable of course, but at the same time perfectly hypocritical.


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## iamwhatiseem (Feb 10, 2015)

Delta4Embassy said:


> Not surprisingly, we continue to glorify war and violence in the name of country while hypocritically condemning it when it's being done against us. We made a movie about a sniper who killed scores of people, gave him medals for killing well, and mourned his murder. Yet when a foreign combatant kills one our guys we condemn that but not when our guys do it to their's. Perfectly udnerstandable of course, but at the same time perfectly hypocritical.



Not hypocritical in the least.
If our country attacked Canada numerous times, we engaged in deplorable human rights violations, used chemical weapons on our own people - and a Canadian sniper killed our soldiers - then yes, it would be hypocritical.


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## georgephillip (Feb 10, 2015)

iamwhatiseem said:


> If our country attacked Canada numerous times, we engaged in deplorable human rights violations, used chemical weapons on our own people


Our country has attacked Canada more times than Iraq has attacked the US. Our country has engaged in human rights violations on a scale Saddam could not even imagine, and it's used chemical weapons on innocent human beings from Korea to Kandahar. American Sniper is just the latest attempt to whitewash a history based on genocide and slavery: blood on the leaf; blood at the root.


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## Pop23 (Feb 10, 2015)

Delta4Embassy said:


> Not surprisingly, we continue to glorify war and violence in the name of country while hypocritically condemning it when it's being done against us. We made a movie about a sniper who killed scores of people, gave him medals for killing well, and mourned his murder. Yet when a foreign combatant kills one our guys we condemn that but not when our guys do it to their's. Perfectly udnerstandable of course, but at the same time perfectly hypocritical.



Did you even see the movie?

I saw no glorification of war at all, unless you think that showing the terrible damage that these soldiers and the citizens endured.

Good god, that movie sure as hell showed the mental, phyisical and emotional damage all endure(d)

A recruiting tool it is not


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## iamwhatiseem (Feb 11, 2015)

georgephillip said:


> Our country has attacked Canada more times than Iraq has attacked the US. Our country has engaged in human rights violations on a scale Saddam could not even imagine, and it's used chemical weapons on innocent human beings from Korea to Kandahar. American Sniper is just the latest attempt to whitewash a history based on genocide and slavery: blood on the leaf; blood at the root.



Holy Cow - I didn't know we had a college jr. professor...obviously must be


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## usmcstinger (Feb 11, 2015)

Delta4Embassy said:


> Not surprisingly, we continue to glorify war and violence in the name of country while hypocritically condemning it when it's being done against us. We made a movie about a sniper who killed scores of people, gave him medals for killing well, and mourned his murder. Yet when a foreign combatant kills one our guys we condemn that but not when our guys do it to their's. Perfectly udnerstandable of course, but at the same time perfectly hypocritical.



The only thing you know about Combat is you never experienced it. The only place  your dumb statements make sense is in your delusional world. If you are  enjoying your freedom thank a Combat Veteran. *There is no glory in War. You fight the enemy and hope to live through it. *


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## Delta4Embassy (Feb 11, 2015)

usmcstinger said:


> Delta4Embassy said:
> 
> 
> > Not surprisingly, we continue to glorify war and violence in the name of country while hypocritically condemning it when it's being done against us. We made a movie about a sniper who killed scores of people, gave him medals for killing well, and mourned his murder. Yet when a foreign combatant kills one our guys we condemn that but not when our guys do it to their's. Perfectly udnerstandable of course, but at the same time perfectly hypocritical.
> ...



Never claimed I did. While I served in the US Navy, I never saw combat no. 

But trying to claim you're a flag-waving patriot while blindly supporting the current misuse of the military by our corrupt government is oxymoronic. A true patriot calls a spade a spade.


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