AMERICAN SNIPER-A REVIEW

I know I am late on the train, but it is better late than never as the adage goes.

So this weekend I had the chance to see the blockbuster movie which everyone has been talking about recently American Sniper. I wanted to see what the hullaballoo was all about and boy!I was not disappointed.

Directed by the renowned and ace Hollywood Director Clint Eastwood,i now see why the movie was nominated for six Oscar awards.The story line is everything, although I later realized it is biographical and the events are real life events about the life of US Naval SEAL Chris Kyle.

THE STORY
The film starts with a scene showing an American Soldier/Sniper on a rooftop, trying to fire and shoot a target. Then there is a flashback right there and then,which shows an average American family in a Ranch in Texas, the father teaches the son how to shoot straight and kill a deer.The father is depicted as a no nonsense man Christian man who teaches his two sons to be firm and not succumb to the antics of Bullys.

Fast forward several years later, the boys are now young men and they have become cowboys. The elder of the two, Chris Kyle is the main Protagonist, whom the story is based on.The character is played brilliantly by hottie, Bradly Cooper who adopted a southern accent which I am sure he learnt for the role. Chris is protective of his younger brother just like their father has taught him earlier in the flick. And while in the living room with his brother one evening, he saw on Tv the 1998 bombing of the American Embassy by Terrorists in Kenya on the news and he immediately went to enroll in the Navy the next day in order to fight for his country
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There is so much patriotic zeal in Chris that he would do anything for America. He was eventually enlisted and trained as a SEAL.

On a particular outing with his fellow SEALs to a bar one evening he meets and falls in love with Taya,played by sienna Miller.Shortly afterwards, they got married and not long after  he was called to duty and was posted to Iraq, where he quickly became known as the Legend owing to his skills as a Sniper. He was ready to kill and be killed for America.

Consequently,His wife bore him two children and he was home on both occasions, however anytime he came back to America, he is detached from his environment, his heart and mind is really back on the battle field in Iraq-This attitude becomes worrisome for his wife who bares her mind to him by letting him realize that he needs to move back to America and be there for his family.

However, during his 4th tour of Iraq on a mission to capture an Al-Qaeda strongman,he is almost killed by the insurgents and this incident makes him realize he needs to go back to America and be with his family. He returns, but feels useless and during a therapy session with an Army psychologist, Chris  reveals that he feels he should be on the war front saving lives.

The final scene shows Chris to have finally settled back home well and he is being a loving man/husband and father to his family. He then leaves the house to go motivate some war veterans and the film ended there. With an epilogue that states that Chirs was Killed that day by a Us veteran he was trying to help.

ANTICLIMAX 
His death even though it was not shown or acted in the film, is such an anti climax for me,a real downer i mean how can such a vibrant young man die just like that. Someone who has taken down and killed scores of terrorists now ends up dead in the U.S,shot to death by an irrational fellow,.He survived Iraq but did not make it at home. I feel sad especially knowing it is a real life situation.

MY FAVOURITE CHARACTERS
Trust Hollywood actors to give their hundred per cent when taking up any challenging roles. They make the characters so believable. Even after having seen so many pictures of the real Chris Kyle online,the face that is still plastered in my mind is that of Bradly Cooper with his well built physique. He  added so much pounds in order to have the bulky frame of the real 38 year old late American Legend,Chris Kylie. Also Sienna Miller,who plays Taya his wife ,remains  her beautiful self and she didn't do badly either.

The last but not the least character I was happy to see in the movie is none other than Cory Hadrict,the young fine black actor,married to one of the beautiful Mowry twins,not sure if it's Tia or the other one,they are so identical.

Lastly, the film is worth the time spent watching it, no regrets.