American Sniper, in theatres now, is the true story of Navy Seal sniper, Chris Kyle. The movie stars Bradley Cooper and is directed by legendary  Clint Eastwood. The film focuses on the four tours of duty that Chris Kyle served in Iraq/Afghanistan.

The movie, directed by veteran Clint Eastwood, takes its time. It slowly picks away at the man that was Chris Kyle. In real life, a fellow soldier who had severe PTSD shot Chris Kyle to death in 2013. It is tragic that an American hero died this way. The movie asks whether Kyle was a hero, if he saw himself that way, or if others saw him that way. In his tours of duty, Kyle had 160 confirmed kills and was considered by his comrades as a protector from God. Kyle only wanted to save as many people as possible. He was considered very controversial because people would ask the question whether it was right to sacrifice one life to save many.

Cooper gives an outstanding performance as Kyle. He embodies the character so much that even his physical movements are altered. It is a joy to watch him in action. Eastwood also knows what he’s doing behind the camera. He chose to focus heavily on Cooper’s face to effectively convey the emotion of the character. There are also loads of exciting action for the more thrill-seeking viewers. B+