Chris Kyle (portrayed by Bradley Cooper) is the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history, credited with 160 confirmed kills by The Department of Defense––rumors state the number is closer to 250. Originally aspiring to be a rodeo cowboy, Kyle joins the Navy SEALS after the 1988 U.S. embassy bombings, desiring to fight for his country.
After the Sept. 11 attack of 2011, Kyle is sent on his first tour of Iraq, leaving his pregnant wife at home. In a tragic, heartbreaking scene, Kyle’s first two kills are a young boy and his mother attempting to throw a grenade at U.S. marines. In time, Kyle is nicknamed “The Legend” for his large number of kills.
However, the traumas of the war haunt Kyle––during visits home he is withdrawn and anxious, even to his son and daughter, who were born over the course of his tours in Iraq. The war never truly leaves for Kyle.

The majority of critics and viewers gave favorable reviews to Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper, but some critics argue that American Sniper is an inaccurate portrayal of Chris Kyle’s story, and/or is biased in America’s favor.

In response to these criticisms, more important than just the story of Chris Kyle, is the human portrayal of the modern soldier in Middle Eastern wars, and their difficult experience adjusting back home. American Sniper could be seen as biased towards America, but the movie also reveals atrocities from both sides––it reveals the atrocities of warfare.

American Sniper was a roller-coaster ride of emotion. Several times I found myself turning away from the movie screen or placing my hands over my mouth in horror. Images were depicted that were gruesome and violated the sanctity of human life. In America, with our cell-phones, technology and busy lives, we often forget the reality of warfare in the Middle East. American Sniper reveals insight into the experience of a U.S. soldier, the war in Iraq, and the lasting psychological impacts warfare has on the human mind. The film raises to light issues that need to be confronted by the U.S. public that are often ignored or forgotten.

For those able to handle grotesque images of the war in Iraq, those who like action and intense emotion, and those that want to understand the realities of the modern world, American Sniper will not disappoint.