The reviews are in for Clint Eastwood’s academy nominated American Sniper and here’s a collection of them below.
JUDGEMENT
“In this bold, in-your-face true life drama, [Eastwood] bristles unhesitatingly at the horrors of war, but is metaphorically in the trenches with its soldiers, passing them ammo and lighting their cigarettes.” Erin Free, Filmink
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“Don’t forget that Eastwood is a deep Republican, and the film has that sensibility – and yet it’s neither insulting nor off-putting, and it’s not racist. It’s a serious story told with steely conviction, and if its politics are a little right of my comfort level, its obvious cinematic benefits are right in my wheelhouse.” CJ Johnson, ABC
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“After finally watching the much-discussed movie, I can conclude the movie’s critics on the Left are even more moronic than I thought. The movie is very pro-soldier, but it’s not ‘pro-war,’ or certainly not unambiguously pro-war.” Jim Geraghty, National Review
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“Eastwood’s tight focus on Cooper and Tom Stern’s claustrophobic cinematography force the viewer to sit on his side of the crosshairs. Ultimately, however, those decisions smother the film.” Tara Brady, Irish Times
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“As a former Marine sniper, I too have stared through a 12x-powered scope at men, women and children, cross hairs settled over unsuspecting hearts. But beyond an incredible portrayal that honors the legacy of Chris Kyle, I found American Sniper explained so much more than what people assume or understand about what veterans experience, both in combat and back home.” Jake Wood, Military Times
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“Meanwhile, Kyle’s own bestselling biography (co-written by Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice and published a year before Kyle died) is far more problematic about what is, and what is not heroic. More of that should also have been in Eastwood’s film. What we get is neither nuanced or completely believable.” Bruce Kirkland, Toronto Sun
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“Certain sequences are breathtaking. Eastwood’s work is precise and economical. You can see why he might be interested in marksmen, each shot carefully calibrated, every line measured. Your time is not wasted and your attention never wavers because he always knows just what to show you – and, crucially, what to leave out.” Danny Leigh, The Guardian
How about you? How do you rate American Sniper?
See a video review of American Sniper by Chris Stuckmann: