Oscar-winning filmmaker Clint Eastwood's Best Picture-nominated film serves up a sad, somber tribute to the late Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL acclaimed for being the most deadly sharpshooter in U.S. military history. Set in Iraq, the opening scene is riveting, with Kyle (Oscar-nominee Bradley Cooper) having to decide whether to shoot a woman and a young boy (the same scene is revisited midway through the story). Much of the film is conventional biography: where Kyle came from (Texas), how he met his wife (played by Sienna Miller), and why he nobly embarked on four tours of duty. This last decision stemmed from Kyle's father's dictum that the world is divided into three types: sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. Devoted to God, country, and family (in that order), Kyle envisioned himself as a sheepdog, protecting others, while his expertise earned him the nickname “The Legend.” But when he eventually returned home, after eliminating the Syrian-born marksman who was terrorizing U.S. troops, Kyle suffered post-traumatic stress, like many other soldiers. Based on Kyle's autobiography, this is a respectful examination of what compelled Kyle to fight, the toll that brutality and violence took on his soul, and what it cost him to recover his humanity after nearly a decade at war. But despite being fact-based, the film is not only predictable but also recalls themes better explored in Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar-winning The Hurt Locker. Given the film's box office popularity and Oscar attention, however, this is recommended, overall. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include “One Soldier's Story: The Journey of American Sniper” (31 min.) and a “making-of” featurette (29 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for this Best Picture nominee.] (S. Granger)[Blu-ray Review—May 3, 2016—Warner, 132 min., R, Blu-ray: $24.98—Making its second appearance on Blu-ray, 2014's American Sniper sports a nice transfer with Dolby Atmos sound. Extras new to this release include the behind-the-scenes featurettes “Navy SEALs: In War and Peace” (30 min.), “Chris Kyle: The Man Behind the Legend” (30 min.), and “Bringing the War Home: The Cost of Heroism” (21 min.). Extras carried over from the previous release include “One Soldier's Story: The Journey” (31 min.), a “making-of” featurette (29 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: the bonus material here on the real Kyle and the Navy SEALS makes this edition of the Best Picture nominee a worthwhile upgrade.]
American Sniper
Warner, 132 min., R, DVD: $28.98, Blu-ray/DVD Combo: $44.95, May 19 Volume 30, Issue 3
American Sniper
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