American Sniper is loosely based upon the book of the same name and follows the life of Chris Kyle, a marksman who earned military success for his protection of other soldiers. The film begins strong, with a short cut to Chris' early life before focusing on the lead up to why he joined the navy, the training and then eventually, his military tours in the Iraq War. It falters a little bit about one hour in but picks up again at the climax of the film. What engrosses you is the toll it takes on Chris during his military service, in particular, how it makes it difficult for him to be there for his family. We see Chris rise up to the name of Legend and his comrades' trust that he will keep them safe. There were some tense moments as Chris lines up his shots, as well as chaotic gunfights. It also gives you a sense of the horror of war and the price that is paid. The movie is heavily patriotic though, which can be overwhelming sometimes, as well as being one-sided in the storytelling.
