It is easy to say that the original trailer for this film is the most suspenseful marketing campaign thus far in the 21st century. There is a reason all of your friends have already seen this movie and it's not just because it stars one of the best actors of this generation. The heart-wrenching story of Navy SEAL marksman Chris Kyle is inspirational with a capital "I" and who better to bring it to the big screen than Hollywood royalty like Clint Eastwood? While the film itself may not be all around perfect, you will still be on edge and locked in the mind of this true American hero.
With 160 confirmed kills or "savages" to your name, there is a reason to be called the "Legend." Bradley Cooper (+40lbs. and a bushy beard) brings to life the story based off Chris Kyle's autobiography of the same name and alternates between being a family man as well as performing his duties as the deadliest sniper in United States history. Post-traumatic stress is a sad but recurring problem with these veterans who are paying the high price of having to relive what horrors are found during deployment. Kyle is no stranger to this and there is a strong focus of what this shell-shocked fury can do to a wife (Sienna Miller) and young family as well as one's outlook on life itself.
Clint Eastwood hits a directorial peak with American Sniper and watching how Bradley Cooper makes the not-so-smooth transformation even after his first 2 kills is mesmerizing. The clicking of his gun's adjustment knobs and intense focus on where the barrel is pointed all work in his favor. The suspense actually does kill, for once.
There is no holding back on the lifestyle of these gentlemen. Patriots to the death and mouths like the SEALs they are. While some parts of the film are a bit too fast-paced with details that come off disconnected to the plot, the ending is what makes all 2 hours and 12 minutes worth it. Follow Chris' Texan drawl as Cooper's most visceral performance of his career is an emotional ride.
The effect on every audience that this movie reaches is the same. Wait for the silence and know what it means. American Sniper may not win Best Picture in the upcoming Oscars but there is a reason it has earned 6 nominations and is breaking box office records left and right. The story of a man who keeps his targets set on what really matters in life. GRADE: 8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment