American Sniper

Grade: B+

Most war movies end up “losing” me quite early on when all it seems to be is an interminable amount of disorienting sounds and shots of flying bullets, explosions, bodies, etc. – to the point where I’m wishing I had a score card, just to keep track of who’s hurt and who’s ok. Typically, the bullets have read the screenplay in advance anyway, as they often miss the stars of the movie. Clint Eastwood’s new film American Sniper shows us a side of the war movie that I don’t see often enough – what it’s like when they come home, and how (or if) they succeed in dealing with it. Carrying the movie is Bradley Cooper as Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, who transforms himself, and puts on an amazing performance. Credit must be given to the tone Eastwood sets; there is a breathtaking scene near the end that takes place in a vicious sandstorm, where we strain to see, and are hanging on to every distorted image for something we could possibly discern. Much will be said about the tragic final few minutes. It is the most spellbinding ending to a picture I’ve seen this past year. The lights always do seem the brightest right before the power gets cut off.

Grade: B+