On Jan. 16, history was made with the opening of ‘American Sniper.’ The film, starring ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ and ‘American Hustle’ Academy Award nominee, Bradley Cooper, broke box office records for the month of January. The film beat out other January box office phenomena including ‘Taken’ in 2009 and James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ in 2010.
‘American Sniper’ follows the story of Chris Kyle, a Texas-born rodeo boy with an act for fighting, mostly to defend his little brother. When Kyle decides to join the Navy SEALs he never imagined he’d become known as one of the most lethal snipers in American history.
During his time in training he meets his future wife, Taya, played by ‘Foxcatcher’ star, Sienna Miller.
The heart of the story begins during Kyle’s first tour in the Iraq War. In a fleeting moment he must decide the fate of a young boy carrying a grenade meant for American soldiers. It is in that scene, which lasts less than five minutes, that the true nature of the story arises. Throughout the remainder of the film Kyle battles three more tours in Iraq, totaling 160 confirmed kills. The scenes between Kyle and his friends and Kyle and his wife are some of the most powerful of the movie as the audience experiences the post-traumatic stress brought on by these tours through Cooper’s talented acting and the moments where he can utter “okay” and it mean a thousand words.
‘American Sniper’ is the type of movie that lives and breathes a harsh truth about the reality of war. The film does not end at the war though, but continues on to show Kyle interacting with veterans after his final tour. Not only that, but it hints at the trauma Kyle must overcome when he is no longer fighting an enemy overseas, but rather fighting an enemy in his mind.
With Academy Award nominations revealed just days before the film’s release, ‘American Sniper’ finished its opening weekend with $90.2 million, a third more than ‘Avatar’ received in its first weekend. Director Clint Eastwood made his previous two films almost obsolete compared with the success of ‘American Sniper’ as last year’s ‘Jersey Boys’ opened with $13.2 million and 2011’s ‘J. Edgar’ a mere $11.2 million.
‘American Sniper’ was nominated for a total of six Academy Awards including Best Actor, Best Picture, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay. This will also be Cooper’s third consecutive year in the running for Best Actor.
The film is one that speaks to issues not many hear of before they hit the big screen, and it continues to leave audiences in awe with its silent credits. While controversy has begun to follow the movie it has not yet diminished its big screen value and overall exemplary measure. Up against other ‘movie of the years’ for titles this year, ‘American Sniper’ has proven that it deserved its six nominations.
