Clint Eastwood
American Sniper

American Sniper

Original Title: American Sniper

Director: Clint Eastwood

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Luke Grimes

Music: “Taya's Theme” Gennady Loktionov, “Someone Like You” Van Morrison, “The Funeral” Ennio Morricone.

Production: 22 & Indiana Pictures, Mad Chance Productions, Malpaso Productions USA 2014

Genre: Biographical, War, Drama

Duration: 132 min

Plot

The film is based on the story of the most lethal sniper in American history, Chris Kyle. As part of the U.S. Navy Seals, he travels to Iraq with a specific mission: to protect his comrades. His extraordinary accuracy saves numerous lives and he is immediately nicknamed “legend”. Meanwhile, among the insurgents, the bounty on Kyle's head grows. Besides the war on the front line, he finds himself fighting a personal and internal battle, perhaps even harder to face.

Review

What could we ever expect from good old Clint? Here it is, yet another cinematic masterpiece from a sacred monster of cinema of all time, who after directing films like “Million Dollar Baby” and “Mystic River”, makes his comeback.

Nominated for 6 Oscars (Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing), this film has divided the audience into two parts: one that defines the film as pro-war and considers it, in my opinion minimizing it, the classic “Hollywood blockbuster”. Others instead, consider this film a masterpiece and define it as an anti-war film. The director himself, a few days ago, declared: "The biggest anti-war statement a film can make is to show the damage it does to a family and to people who return to civilian life." The film indeed highlights the inner war of a man who, after returning to ordinary life, cannot forget the horrors of war, continuing to think about his duty. Bradley Cooper (Limitless, American Hustle), gives us a moving performance; through him, we are able to empathize with Chris Kyle, in his inner struggle. Throughout the film, the desperation of his wife grows more and more. For Chris, family can wait but his nation cannot; yet he is a human being, not a superhero. “Glory is something some men chase and others stumble upon, and it's a noble gesture but when does glory fade and become a wrong crusade?”, this phrase, in my opinion, sums up the entire film; the question I ask myself is, where is the limit, is there a right balance between the two extremes? According to Horace, yes, there is a limit, “est modus in rebus” (the right measure lies in the middle).

Watching this film, it felt like witnessing a documentary, perhaps due to the almost total absence of music, a brilliant device to focus the viewer on the psychological-inner aspect of the character.

A film I recommend to everyone, it may seem slow, soporific, but in reality, it will keep you glued to the screen!