In “American Sniper,” director Clint Eastwood has given America something it has sorely lacked from its mainstream news media as well as its entertainment industry – the truth.
For example, unlike many leftist flicks coming out of Hollywood, “American Sniper” portrays patriotism as a virtue. In the true story of Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, audiences see how a man’s love for country and his countrymen compel him to do battle with honor and purpose.
Yet unlike many patriotic war films, “American Sniper” also shows how brutal and costly waging war is, both on the warrior and on his family. The integrity with which Eastwood depicts Kyle’s story is a refreshing taste of honesty and balance, rather than propaganda.
And unlike the talking heads on TV or in the White House, “American Sniper” is willing to call evil what it is: not “workplace violence” or “extremism,” but evil.
The story begins with Kyle’s childhood, where his father teaches him a key lesson that shapes him for the rest of his life. Some people, his dad says, are sheep, others wolves, and a select few, the sheepdogs who protect the flock. Kyle is just such a sheepdog.
For years, the sheepdog lies in slumber, until Sept. 11, 2001. Suddenly, the sheepdog comes face to face with evil and knows it’s time to fight the wolves.
After completing SEAL training, Kyle deploys to Iraq, where he is once again confronted by the brutal disregard for life inherent to Islamism.
“That’s evil like I’ve never seen before,” Kyle remarks.
Then the sheepdog pulls the trigger.
Again and again and again, Kyle pulls the trigger. Deployed to four tours of duty, Kyle becomes known as the “Legend,” a sniper who records more confirmed enemy kills than any soldier in U.S. history.
His wife begs him to stay home, to leave the front. Fellow soldiers wonder why the U.S. is fighting at all, if the cause is really just.
But the sheepdog doesn’t falter.
“You want this evil to come to San Diego or New York?” Kyle answers from the dust of an Iraqi base. “We’re protecting more than just this dirt.”
When asked whether all the killing left him scarred, left him questioning his humanity or his bloodguilt, again the sheepdog understands, the wolves must be stopped, and he has no qualms with doing the stopping: “I’m willing to meet my Creator and answer for every shot I took.”
That’s the inspiring power of “American Sniper.” It’s a story not about “American imperialism” or even “American exceptionalism.” It’s not spun or watered down to fit an agenda. It’s a story about evil, about what really is evil, about what it takes to stop it, and the cost that must be paid for doing battle with it. It’s about a sheepdog who gave his life, his all, to protect you and me.
Yes, Clint Eastwood does a fine job of directing a very straight-forward, few frills story. Yes, Bradley Cooper gives a fantastic performance as Chris Kyle. Sienna Miller may give an even better one as Kyle’s wife, Taya.
But for all the accolades this fantastic film has earned, it wasn’t the filmmaking craft that is making “American Sniper” the most successful January film in American history. It isn’t good acting that prompted the workers at my theater to stand at the exit doors with boxes of Kleenex in hand.
It’s the story. The true story.
Content advisory:
- “American Sniper,” rated R, contains over 200 obscenities and profanities, more than 100 of which begin with “F.” And yes, it’s way too many. The film is bogged down by it, the dialogue cheapened, and it’s a sad blight on an otherwise outstanding story.
- The movie also has a significant amount of crude and sexual language and a couple of scenes where Kyle’s love interests are seen in only bra and panties or skimpy clothing. There’s kissing, spooning and implied sex, but no sex on screen.
- Though not as gory as a horror flick or “Saving Private Ryan,” violence in the film is graphic and realistic. Men and women are shown killed in battle. Bloodied and broken bodies are seen. A tortured man is shown dripping gore. One shocking scene shows an Islamist warlord killing a boy with an electric drill.
- The film has several religious references. The movie opens to the prayer call of “Allah Akbar.” An early scene in the movie takes place in church during a sermon, and a Bible from the church is a prop throughout the film. A few conversations discuss faith, God and “my Creator.” Kyle’s wife wears a cross necklace.
