Skip to main content

American Sniper (2014)

American Sniper is about a former Navy S.E.A.L. sniper who becomes a legend for the number of soldiers he saved, and about what happens once he returns home and how he deals with post-duty America.

With a new Clint Eastwood movie coming out soon, I figured now would be a good time to go back and review one of Eastwood's best-directed movies. Eastwood captures the war in Iraq and Afghanistan in a light that seems so authentic that there is little doubt that what you are seeing is real and it feels that way. Eastwood transports you to war much the same Spielberg did with Saving Private Ryan.

There are many roles that Bradley Cooper has done well, but this one surpasses them all by a landslide. He was great in Silver Linings Playbook don't get me wrong but he was robbed by Eddie Redmayne for the Oscar that year. One thing that many military people will probably notice is the mannerisms that Cooper did to make his performance more believable. There is not a scene in which I've thought, 'oh that's Bradley Cooper.' For the entire film, Cooper was Chris Kyle.

Sienna Miller looks so much better as a brunette, maybe that's just my opinion, but then again I'm not wrong. She worked with Cooper again in Burnt and you might recognize her from G.I. Joe as Ana. She plays Chris Kyle's wife Taya. She nails the performance with the help of Eastwood's direction. Acting with a phone and hearing awful sounds in the background is a difficult task to do and she rocks it.

The movie is structured great and flows from scene to scene. There are few moments that drag and nothing that I would take out to save time. I also wouldn't add anything to this film, it has the right amount of tension that a war film needs.

Result: A+ (One of the best films of that year and my third favorite war film of all time)
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nobody 2 (2025)

Nobody 2 comes with a change in creative leadership, as Timo Tjahjanto takes over directing duties from Ilya Naishuller . The difference is noticeable, with the sequel lacking the same energy and spark that made the first film stand out. The script, written by Aaron Rabin , suffers from uneven pacing and tonal issues. While he avoids some of the pitfalls that bogged down his work on Marvel’s Secret Invasion , his late-game writing choices undercut the story’s tension and credibility. Bob Odenkirk once again commits to his role, doing the best he can with a weaker script. His physicality and dry delivery still make him a compelling lead, but the film doesn’t give him much new ground to cover. You'll remember Bob from Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad . Connie Nielsen is underwritten, with her character lacking individuality or meaningful development. She feels more like a placeholder than a partner to Odenkirk’s character, which is disappointing given her talent. You'll r...
Post a Comment
Read more

Americana (2025)

Americana (2025) is written and directed by Tony Tost , best known for his work on Longmire . His approach here focuses more on character work than plot, with the script itself being serviceable but not remarkable. Still, it provides a strong platform for the cast to showcase their abilities. Sydney Sweeney delivers an impressive performance as a waitress with a stutter, bringing nuance and empathy to a role that could have easily felt one-note. It’s one of her more grounded performances and a highlight of the film. You'll remember Syd from her American Eagle commercial. Halsey is nearly unrecognizable in her role, playing with a fierceness that stands out and proves her versatility outside of music. Her presence commands attention whenever she’s on screen. I was first introduced to her from MGK 's music video Forget Me Too. Eric Dane takes on a villain role and succeeds at being thoroughly hate-able, leaning into his darker side effectively. His work gives the film muc...
Post a Comment
Read more

Barbarian (2022)

  Barbarian is about a woman staying at an AirBnB and discovers that there is more to the house she has rented than what was expected. Written and Directed by Zach Cregger, Barbarian is the third film behind Miss March and The Civil War on Drugs. Both were forgettable and both were before Cregger knew really how to direct. This change is night and day, almost like how Ben Affleck made the switch over from doing Gili in 2003 to The Town in 2010. The writing is just shy of great. A great horror film will keep you wondering just how things will end. There certainly were moments I was wondering just how Cregger would end this film. There are some predictable scenes and certain directorial choices make you believe for a second that something else is happening entirely. There is one scene of exposition I despised and didn't help the storyline at all except pander to audiences that aren't intelligent. Georgina Campbell plays Tess, the main character. She is expressive and carries the ...
Post a Comment
Read more