Bradley Cooper playing Chris Kyle in American Sniper.
Released in all theaters on Friday, Jan. 16, 2015, American Sniper was a hit, causing countless theaters across the country to be flooded with eager movie-goers. I was one of these viewers, and I was certainly impressed. This was the first opening day showing I had ever attended in which you could hear a pin drop.
The movie American Sniper was based on the autobiography of Chris Kyle, the most successful sniper in United State history. Kyle, a Navy SEAL, actively participated in the military for 10 years. It was over his four tours in Iraq where he earned his title of “The Legend” by obtaining 160 confirmed kills, saving countless American lives, and becoming a target of the Insurgents.
Kyle finally resigned from the United States military to be at home with his wife and young child, whom he did not know very well due to his long tours in Iraq. It was a difficult task for Kyle to adapt to living at home.
He began assisting veterans of the military. Sadly, his acts of kindness and compassion backfired, when he was killed in 2013 at a shooting range by a Marine Corps veteran that he was helping.
Instead of acting out Kyle’s tragic death in the movie, the screen cut to real footage from his funeral procession in which hundreds of people lined the streets, waved flags, and clapped for his sacrifice.
The movie was undoubtedly a tear jerker; however, director Clint Eastwood added the perfect amount of humor. Although this humor did not balance out the chilling emotions viewers like me received, the film was undeniably eye opening and life changing.
Bradley Cooper played the antagonist in the film whom the book, American Sniper, and the film adaptation were about. Cooper, a very diverse and talented actor, successfully played the character of Chris Kyle, showing Kyle’s dedication and drive to protect his country.
Taye Kyle, Chris’ wife, also believed that Cooper did an incredible and accurate job of playing her husband in the movie: “The heart of the man, the ability to laugh through it all — Bradley captured all of it.”
Movie-goers across America utilized tissues without any shame, and at the end of the movie, gave a long lasting round of applause; however, some celebrities and citizens around the world are not being affected in the same way.
Considering that Kyle was a sniper and his confirmed kill number is so high, some people in America believe that it is debatable whether or not the movie should have glorified him as a hero. Some celebrities, such as Seth Rogen and Michael Moore voiced their opinions in their Twitter posts, stating that snipers should not be considered heroes because of the lives they are taking.
To contrast Rogen and Moore’s opinions, Sarah Palin has thanked Eastwood and Cooper for “respecting the United States military.”
Despite the controversy of Chris Kyle’s legacy and the negative opinions, the movie has broken records. Just in the first four days alone, the movie earned $105 million, which is the most successful opening weekend for a dramatic film, and has already been nominated for 6 Oscar awards.
As I sat in the movie theater and thought deeply about the movie later on, I felt a feeling of great pride and gratitude for our country’s military members. It is because of them that I get to lay my head down on my pillow every night and know that I will live to see another day.