REVIEW: American Sniper

Director: Clint Eastwood

Starring: Bradley Cooper,

Run Time: 132 mins

Certificate: 15

This film does a job. It is entertaining, well paced and has an excellent balance of emotion and action. The fact it is based on a real person certainly adds to the frisson of excitement, but it seemed to me that this is a dramatization of events that could have happened rather than a factual portrayal of Chris Kyle’s life, however, the essence of the man is captured as Bradley Cooper proves he is much more than The Hangover. His eyes may not be straight, but his acting is.

Battling on two fronts, the protagonist seems in conflict more with his wife than the Olympian task that is his day job. The exact same theme as Hurt Locker is covered, de-humanisation at the hands of the rigours of war, it could almost be a sequel, just swap bomb disposal for sniper…ing. The setting is familiar, the details differ, but the conclusion to American Sniper rescues any feeling of complacency. As a Brit I find it hard to embrace the yeehaa American soldier attitude, but it’s hard not to be drawn in to the depth of their relationships. I must say, I left the Tyneside Cinema feeling sad, almost a tear. Clint Eastwood, job done.

American Sniper is now showing at the Tyneside Cinema.