American Sniper (2014)
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The film follows the life of Chris Kyle, who became the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history while facing the heavy toll of war on his personal and family life.
The story
Growing up in Texas, Chris Kyle is taught by his father how to shoot a rifle and hunt deer. Years later, after a personal crisis, he decides to enlist in the Navy following the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings. He qualifies for special training and becomes a sniper with the U.S. Navy SEALs. After meeting and marrying Taya Studebaker, Kyle is deployed to the Iraq War following the September 11 attacks. As he gains a reputation as a deadly marksman, the experience begins to take a significant toll on his mental state and his relationship with his wife.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After becoming a renowned sniper in the Iraq War, Chris Kyle faces the psychological weight of his actions. He is tasked with hunting for the al-Qaeda leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and encounters a skilled enemy sniper named Mustafa. Despite his success and the nickname 'Legend,' the war creates a rift between him and his wife, Taya. Over several tours, Kyle becomes increasingly distant from his family as he deals with the trauma of his experiences. During a final, dangerous mission to eliminate Mustafa, Kyle is forced into a desperate gunfight where he eventually calls Taya to say he is ready to come home. Following his return, he struggles to adjust to civilian life and is eventually encouraged by a psychiatrist to help other veterans. The film concludes with a jump to 2013, showing Chris and his family before he is tragically killed by a fellow veteran at a shooting range.
- First release year
- 2014
- Runtime (minutes)
- 132
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Clint Eastwood
- Writers
- Jason Hall · writer
- Cast and characters
- Bradley Cooper · Chris Kyle; Sienna Miller · Taya; Luke Grimes · Marc Lee; Jake McDorman · Ryan Job; Cory Hardrict · "D" / Dandridge; Kevin Lacz · himself; Navid Negahban · Sheikh Al-Obodi; Keir O'Donnell · Jeff Kyle
- Genres
- biographical; action; drama; war
- Themes
- war's toll on personal life; PTSD; sacrifice; military service
- Tone and mood
- tense; vivid; somber
- Setting
- Texas, San Diego, and the Iraq War.
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; war; military; action
- Source material / true-story basis
- the memoir of the same name by Chris Kyle with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews, praised for its performances and direction, though it faced controversy regarding its portrayal of the Iraq War.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 72% · scale: percentage · review count: 299; Metacritic · score: 73 · scale: 100 · review count: 48
- Production trivia
- The film was the highest-grossing war film of all time at the time of its release.; Clint Eastwood's highest-grossing film.; The film used a fake baby doll in one scene, which became a point of criticism.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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