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re: American Sniper movie discussion thread (No book talk, no political bickering)
Posted on 1/20/15 at 8:14 am to PsychTiger
Posted on 1/20/15 at 8:14 am to PsychTiger
It was a good movie as far as entertainment goes. I'll admit though I had a hard time removing my biases over our involvement in Iraq and a lot of the movie pissed me off.
But Cooper did a great job, and I was entertained. 4 stars.
But Cooper did a great job, and I was entertained. 4 stars.
0
Posted on 1/20/15 at 9:47 am to PsychTiger
I didn't notice the fake baby. Having been around a lot of those guys (Tier 2) in my life, Cooper nailed the characterization. This is reinforced by those who knew Kyle personally.
Very well directed and fairly evenly paced. The acting was pretty solid throughout, as well. I detected a little "Hollywood" in the battle scenes, but there always is. The duel with the fictionalized character Mustafa seemed forced, but that's the only clear weak point I can identify.
Very well directed and fairly evenly paced. The acting was pretty solid throughout, as well. I detected a little "Hollywood" in the battle scenes, but there always is. The duel with the fictionalized character Mustafa seemed forced, but that's the only clear weak point I can identify.
This post was edited on 1/20/15 at 9:52 am
Posted on 1/20/15 at 10:15 am to DanglingFury
quote:
It was like Captain America meets Game of Thrones.
Have an upvote.
Posted on 1/20/15 at 10:41 am to RedPants
i honestly never noticed the baby. Read about it on here and googled, i totally missed that. I did notice him point a real gun at his wife which kind of bothered me
Posted on 1/20/15 at 11:15 am to oleyeller
The movie was a B- to C+ to me. People were legit saying this was the best war film since Saving Private Ryan before I saw it, so I went in with extremely high expectations.
On the positive side, I thought the film looked and sounded spectacular. Bradley Cooper did an excellent job in his portrayal of this character, especially the PTSD aspects. The cast, overall, did a good job.
However, Kyle's story, other than the end and the kill number, is pretty standard for military veterans, especially of the Iraq War. Guy signs up for no extraordinary reason, goes over, does several tours, and comes back kinda messed up in the head. Even his dedication to his guys vs. his family is a story that's been told in one form or another many times. The story is true, so it's hard to criticize it in specifics. I'm simply saying that if you knew the bare bones of Kyle's story, there's nothing in the film that's going to surprise you.
Also, the primary reason why the movie didn't resonate with me is that I never really cared about Kyle. The movie is a 100% character study on him and I never found myself caring one way or another about what happened to him or about what happened next, and I knew very little specifics about his story going in. He came across as a bland guy who was a pretty standard soldier, personality-wise, who had this incredible ability with a rifle. Again, Cooper did a great job portraying Kyle as he was given. I just never connected with the character enough to not be bored at times.
On the positive side, I thought the film looked and sounded spectacular. Bradley Cooper did an excellent job in his portrayal of this character, especially the PTSD aspects. The cast, overall, did a good job.
However, Kyle's story, other than the end and the kill number, is pretty standard for military veterans, especially of the Iraq War. Guy signs up for no extraordinary reason, goes over, does several tours, and comes back kinda messed up in the head. Even his dedication to his guys vs. his family is a story that's been told in one form or another many times. The story is true, so it's hard to criticize it in specifics. I'm simply saying that if you knew the bare bones of Kyle's story, there's nothing in the film that's going to surprise you.
Also, the primary reason why the movie didn't resonate with me is that I never really cared about Kyle. The movie is a 100% character study on him and I never found myself caring one way or another about what happened to him or about what happened next, and I knew very little specifics about his story going in. He came across as a bland guy who was a pretty standard soldier, personality-wise, who had this incredible ability with a rifle. Again, Cooper did a great job portraying Kyle as he was given. I just never connected with the character enough to not be bored at times.
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:23 pm to lpgreat1
quote:excellent point.
Also, the primary reason why the movie didn't resonate with me is that I never really cared about Kyle. The movie is a 100% character study on him and I never found myself caring one way or another about what happened to him or about what happened next, and I knew very little specifics about his story going in. He came across as a bland guy who was a pretty standard soldier, personality-wise, who had this incredible ability with a rifle. Again, Cooper did a great job portraying Kyle as he was given. I just never connected with the character enough to not be bored at times.
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:36 pm to Ivan The Terrible
Ordinary guy doing extraordinary things.
I felt bad I hadn't done more in my life after leaving the theater, and I have a doctorate.
I felt bad I hadn't done more in my life after leaving the theater, and I have a doctorate.
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:41 pm to TaxmanMSU
quote:
What I can't believe about the end scenes is that no one is bothered by the scene where is points a gun at his wife. Loaded or not I feel like Kyle wouldn't have been the type to misuse a gun. You never ever point a gun at someone unless you intend to shot them, I thought that was rule number one of guns? Guns are not toys.
As someone who shoots a lot of guns, this bothered the shite out of me. I almost felt myself cringing when he was pointing a REAL gun at her, and then pulled the hammer back and then left it on the mantle with the kids in the room.
That scene needs to be used for what not to do with a gun 101.
Overall though that is my only complaint. I really enjoyed the movie and though Cooper did an excellent job. There were times I forgot he was Bradley cooper and thought he was the real Chris Kyle.
Posted on 1/20/15 at 12:46 pm to PsychTiger
thought it was great.
loved the last scene in the sandstorm. that was very intense.
also really liked the scene with him and the therapist at the VA. "there's plenty of soldiers you can save right here". So true and overlooked by our shitty VA system.
loved the last scene in the sandstorm. that was very intense.
also really liked the scene with him and the therapist at the VA. "there's plenty of soldiers you can save right here". So true and overlooked by our shitty VA system.
Posted on 1/20/15 at 8:01 pm to REB BEER
quote:
but I've never seen a theater so quiet and solemn as at the end of this movie
My boss went last night and told me complete silence while people exited. He said relative of his in TN said the same thing. Also read reviews which say the same thing. I can't say I'm looking forward to seeing it(surely will bring back memories of my dad), but I feel like I must.
Posted on 1/20/15 at 10:06 pm to PsychTiger
Went and saw it today. I really enjoyed it. Cooper did a hell of a job playing the role. The scene with the kid and the RPG almost got me. Definitely the most tense I've been at a movie in a long time.
Posted on 1/20/15 at 10:08 pm to TigerLicks
i wanna go and just start hoopin and hollerin at the end
Posted on 1/20/15 at 10:28 pm to REB BEER
quote:
I don't go to the movies much, but I've never seen a theater so quiet and solemn as at the end of this movie
same here. eerily quiet
Posted on 1/20/15 at 11:33 pm to BLIZZAKE7
quote:
I've never seen a theater so quiet and solemn as at the end of this movie
The longest I ever saw a theater sit in emotionally drained silence was after United 93.
Posted on 1/20/15 at 11:56 pm to DanglingFury
Maybe I'm a Peter Berg guy, but I still liked Lone Survivor better than American Sniper
Posted on 1/21/15 at 8:13 am to REB BEER
quote:
I've never seen a theater so quiet and solemn as at the end of this movie
Only one that beats it was Saving Private Ryan.
Posted on 1/21/15 at 8:56 am to The Spleen
I liked it but it was not what I expected. I am one of those people that gets irked when people say a movie wasn't as good as the book - no shite - there is almost no way a movie can be better than a book IMO.
That said, the movie really bore only slight resemblance to the book.
I thought the best acting job in the movie was by Sienna Miller, not Cooper. His southern accent just wasn't right. Miller was fantastic IMO.
The sniper training segment really, really bothered me as it was so far from even remote reality of SEAL sniper training. It was just bad.
As to the comments in this thread about Kyle's character being rather bland - that is because he was an average guy in most respects. He finished middle of the pack in sniper school - though is said to have had really good instincts. He as an average swimmer in BUDs. He was not an academic. He was not a great cowboy.
He was the "every man" and that is what is likeable about him because he is what most of us are - a regular guy that loved his country and found a way to use a particular God given gift in support thereof (even if the mission was likely erroneous through no fault of his own).
Back to the movie, I think SPR and Band of Brothers set the bar so high for military movies and series that it is almost impossible to compete.
This movie, like others before it, just did not measure up in that regard.
It is an entertaining flick though and I would recommend it to anyone.
That said, the movie really bore only slight resemblance to the book.
I thought the best acting job in the movie was by Sienna Miller, not Cooper. His southern accent just wasn't right. Miller was fantastic IMO.
The sniper training segment really, really bothered me as it was so far from even remote reality of SEAL sniper training. It was just bad.
As to the comments in this thread about Kyle's character being rather bland - that is because he was an average guy in most respects. He finished middle of the pack in sniper school - though is said to have had really good instincts. He as an average swimmer in BUDs. He was not an academic. He was not a great cowboy.
He was the "every man" and that is what is likeable about him because he is what most of us are - a regular guy that loved his country and found a way to use a particular God given gift in support thereof (even if the mission was likely erroneous through no fault of his own).
Back to the movie, I think SPR and Band of Brothers set the bar so high for military movies and series that it is almost impossible to compete.
This movie, like others before it, just did not measure up in that regard.
It is an entertaining flick though and I would recommend it to anyone.
This post was edited on 1/21/15 at 8:58 am
Posted on 1/21/15 at 9:05 am to DeltaDoc
quote:
Back to the movie, I think SPR and Band of Brothers set the bar so high for military movies and series that it is almost impossible to compete.
I disagree. I watched SPR with my father at the cinema - and that was a special moment - that was the last time we were at the cinema together, and it was just the 2 of us.
It is a very well done movie - I've used the landing craft/Omaha Beach scene in leadership classes ever since.
But it is not the be all/end all military or war movie. It is top tier, but so are Longest Day, Patton, FMJ, Platoon, Blackhawk Down, A Bridge Too Far, and there are others, of course.
Band of Brothers is a wonderful series, blessed by talent top to bottom, as well as some of the best source material available. But even it stood on the shoulders of From the Earth to the Moon, Hanks and HBO's wonderful series about the Apollo Program.
But, American Sniper tells a story people want to see - your "everyman" comments are spot on in that regard. The film resonated with me because that was my war, as a veteran, and I recognized the sights and sounds.
All films take liberties with the training stuff - I thought Lone Survivor did a good job by just showing generic film of actual SEAL training, rather than trying to put its actors in that environment. And, that film did not receive the accolades American Sniper is getting, but I thought the acting was excellent in Lone Survivor.
This post was edited on 1/21/15 at 9:07 am
Posted on 1/21/15 at 10:02 pm to flvelo12
Great movie, at times Chris Kyle looked like he was actually in the movie instead of Bradley Cooper. Cooper nailed his appearance/character.
Posted on 1/21/15 at 11:38 pm to TigerLicks
quote:
quote:
but I've never seen a theater so quiet and solemn as at the end of this movie
My boss went last night and told me complete silence while people exited. He said relative of his in TN said the same thing. Also read reviews which say the same thing. I can't say I'm looking forward to seeing it(surely will bring back memories of my dad), but I feel like I must.
I saw it tonight. Complete silence at the end as a packed theatre got up and walked out. People streamed all the way out to their cars and didn't say a word. People were wiping their eyes and sniffing. Very intense. It was like you were at a funeral at the end with the American flags and the response.
Very powerful movie.
The critics of this movie have it wrong. So do many of the fans. Kyle is not glamorized and war is not celebrated. It shows the attitude of an American soldier trying to do the right thing in a messed up situation and it affects him greatly - and everyone else around him.
Eastwood is a genius.
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