American Sniper Floods Viewers with Pride

In this Clint Eastwood film, a way­ward farm boy and amateur cowboy witnesses the devastation caused by the 9/11 attacks and decides to join the Navy. After weeks of brutal training in BUDs (Basic Underwater Demolitions), Kyle graduates and is sent off to Fallujah. In the film, Bradley Cooper plays the role of Chris Kyle, portraying him rightly so as a loyal man of principle. Yet, Cooper also does a great job of showing the moral struggles that Kyle went through including his struggle with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

This film displayed the harrowing struggles that Kyle and his SEAL team­mates went through during their many tours. Through the bloodshed and the sand they marched, each time without fear for their own lives. It was inspiring to see the level of devotion that Kyle and his teammates showed for each other and the ones they protected. Yet, the film also made it known that not all of Kyle’s life was spent in glory. In fact, it seemed to reveal another side of him. After being forced to make a tough call, Kyle ends up saving the lives of Ameri­can soldiers, but it forces him to question his overall purpose in the war. At one point in the film, his fellow SEAL asks him why they are still fighting. Kyle re­plies boldly by telling the man that they are fighting for more than just this dirt. They are fighting for their brothers and for liberty. Later in the film, Cooper personified Kyle’s sense of justice and stated, “I’m willing to meet my Creator and answer for every shot I took.”

An absolute must see for anyone who wants to catch a glimpse into what our men and women in the military do for us every day. The film was not morphed into an explosion filled Hollywood blockbuster, but rather acted as a simple look into the life of a simple man—a man who remains one of America’s fin­est heroes.