Patriotic duty.Here's a guy that was motivated to defend our world and country against Psychotic Terrorists killing innocent people all over the world...while living on the edge of fatherhood. The inner conflict and balance of creating such a powerful reality, was right on the money.Eastwood, Cooper and the screenwriter made a great team...which eventually became a great film.

multiple tours to keep "his men" safe, and to protect his country. What an extraordinary movie. I can't say enough about it. Everyone should see this movie. See what this man did for our country. I would also recommend staying through the credits. All the film shown during the ending credits is from actual newsreels. An excellent movie. I wholly recommend it.Unlike other Hollywood takes on our soldiers, and the war in Iraq, this movie just tells the story. No fluff, no hidden agendas, it just tells the story of who this man was and how much he did for our country. You can tell this movie was based off a book by someone who actually had fought and lived this life. It's very real, and thankfully the book wasn't ruined, like so many are, by embellishments. It doesn't have the flashy coolness that studios tend to do when portraying our Navy Seals.It's cool to see that, but then you almost feel like what you are seeing is not real, inaccurate, just a Hollywood version of what our Seals do. Then the other extreme is the hidden anti-war agenda that is always being pushed. This movie just tells the story and after seeing it you feel like you know what it was like to be a Seal in Iraq. What clearing door to door for insurgents is like and what snipers do for not only their units, but for our country as well. How important they are in our fight against those who hate freedom. This story also shows what sacrifices spouses make in order for their men to be away fighting for their country. It also to me shows the best example of the hyper awareness that occurs and can't help bought be brought home when you have to be on guard constantly when deployed in a hot zone.I honestly went into this movie thinking there was no way Bradley Cooper could portray Chris Kyle, but was totally wrong in my assumptions. He didn't just portray this larger than life hero, he becomes him. Truly amazing piece of work.

battles our service men and women face. Not to mention the even greater sacrifices made by the families and loved ones back home." I would rate it shear perfection had they spent more time with his recovery and angst driven road back once he was stateside. This is easily one of my top five films of the year.

Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now, Charlie Sheen in Platoon, and now Bradley Cooper in American Sniper. You've got to go all the way back to Gregory Peck in Pork Chop Hill or George C. Scott in Patton to get even close to an actor that gave a better performance in this genre. I saw it twice. Couldn't get through it the first time and had to walk out- -I got so damned furious at George Bush, Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld for murdering all these innocent kids I couldn't watch anymore. Once I got past that I went back to see it again and trust me--it's phenomenal.

hesitation and doesn't hit a false note. Clint Eastwood proves that he can still deliver a phenomenal film even in his mid-eighties. It isn't only impressive for his age, but American Sniper is an impressive film in general. It doesn't wallow in classic war film clichès, it tells Kyle's story the way he told it in the book and while some creative liberties were taken in telling the story regarding pacing, it is an excellent film. It isn't an all out war film like The Hurt Locker, it is a heavy drama with plenty of gut wrenching scenes both on and off the battle field. The most interesting part of this film is the parallels between Kyle's life as a sniper and Kyle's deteriorating life state side. It is an interesting dynamic to add to a film like this and echoes past films from the 70s such as Coming Home and The Deer Hunter. On a technical level, American Sniper sores with great cinematography that is a bit more colorful when compared to Eastwood's past films and excellent sound design. You see every wound and hear every gunshot with realistic velocity. It is a truly great cinematic experience. Overall, American Sniper is a great film that will tug at your heart strings much like last year's Lone Survivor and even goes one step beyond that film and gives us grade A entertainment with grade A acting. It stands as one of the best films of the year.

what war does to the family and the people who have to go back into civilian life like Chris Kyle did"What AS tells is the true life figure Chris Kyle who served as the American military's 'lethal sniper' who has made more kills in his duty of tours during the Iraq war period after 9/11. It chronicles how Chris became a true American to protect his homeland and the aftermath of serving his tours when he came home to his small growing family, leading up to the final hours of his life.Pros:+ Bradley Cooper's portrayal of Chris Kyle is indeed a new height for his career, he gives a performance that can be described as gripping, tense and at times+ The action sequences are all done well, but at times it can be tense, violent and confronting for some.+ The emotional connection between the main character and his family, that the final scene that will either break you or make you undecided.Cons:The controversy that surrounds it, it can make the film an exaggerated lie or truth to what Kyle was like in reality but again it is showing what war can do on people on the front-line and home.OVERALL: Despite the controversy it has gained by writers , the film is indeed a strong acting showcase for Cooper while leaving audiences both open and more aware of the effects of war on human kind. Go in with an open mind and see for yourself for what you would think that made Chris Kyle a 'lethal sniper' for this country. If you had liked The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty and Machine Gun Preacher not a war film but somewhat similar to Kyle's story you will enjoy this.

up his shoulders and took on a very difficult role that etches him on the list of "Great Actors" as he plays the real life character of Chris Kyle. Simply put - he was believable. His look. His accent. His Texas strut. His dip. His eyes. Watching the film you can clearly see what I assume to be parallel of what Kyle experienced on the battlefields abroad and at home. I can only hope the Kyle family and friends feel the same, as Cooper's acting appears to be a beautiful tribute to a "Legend".While Clint Eastwood didn't break any ground with direction, I do believe he was a perfect choice for this film and did an incredible job telling Kyle's story without putting politics on the screen. This is a rough story to watch no matter your political views ... war is hell on all sides. If Eastwood put politics in the film I believe the audience would have lost the purpose of the piece. This is a movie that liberals, conservatives, libertarians, and "I-don't-knowins" can appreciate.The best movies make you walk out of the doors seeing the world a bit differently. American Sniper gives an eerie look into a world that we, as Americans, are so far away from. Many of us don't know death like this. We don't know what it's like to face the mental and physical challenges our troops face during war. We've never been in the middle of a sand- storm fire fight. Eastwood, his crew and cast provide us with a small glimpse into what our troops face overseas and stateside. After seeing the movie inside an enormous mall, it was a bit surreal to walk out to an Urban Outfitters and Apple store full of Christmas shoppers. American Sniper will push you outside of everyday life to tell you a story that will stir your head and your heart.Personally, American Sniper brought many emotions about the courageous servicemen, women and their families that have touched my life. Over the years I've had the honor to work with the American Veterans Center AVC in Arlington, VA, who host the National Memorial Day Parade and Wounded Warrior Experience among other great events. Some of the veterans who starred in American Sniper have also shared their story during AVC events. If this movie inspires you to learn more about these outstanding men and women, please check out AVC.American Sniper also reminded me of the bravest people I know -- Lance Corporal Nicholas Erdy and his family. Much like you see on the screen, the Erdy's sacrifice and love for our country is the stuff superheroes are made of.To the Kyle family, Erdys, all veterans, servicemen and women, and their families ... thank you for your sacrifice and courage. Your stories inspire us to strive for love and peace. To Eastwood, Cooper and the American Sniper team ... thank you for clearly putting your heart into this important American story. Bravo.Bottom line - the Chris Kyle Story - American Sniper - is a must see.

compelling story.Bradley Cooper showed a range that is more Oscar worthy than what he did in Silver Linings Playbook. It was nothing but enjoyable from beginning to end. Worth watching.

will get a nomination or two at least. The film not only has very intense scenes of war but also very intense scenes of what can come of war.As I started to talk about the effects that were portrayed as far as life after war well that's probably what I can talk about the most. For a comparison I will use the hurt locker, it's a good war movie about a man who also like Chris Kyle has a preceding reputation, however he is known for a large number of bomb disposals while Chris Kyle is known as a legend due to his notoriety for kills confirmed. So there's a great similarity there however even though I really enjoyed the hurt locker I have to say American Sniper portrayed a lot of things the same and better, for example the hurt locker didn't portray the effects of war on a person as well as this one did.There is much more I could compare between the 2 films and I also can't say a lot without spoiling much. If you have a anticipation to see it and don't let the film get over hyped you should be able to enjoy it as much as me or maybe even more than me. There is some things I'm sure some will have problems with but I don't think that will effect most people. In conclusion Coopers performance is one not to miss and neither is this film which I believe is the best war film I've seen in quite a while which may even be years. I hope this is useful and you can enjoy the film like my self. Thanks for reading and enjoy the film.