The numbers tell a story. “American Sniper,� Clint Eastwood’s film about U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and his 160 confirmed “kills� across his four tours of duty in Iraq, stands as the most profitable war movie ever made. Its merits and drawbacks have been debated since 2014, when its massive popularity tapped into a desire millions plainly felt for deadly American marksmanship, honored in old-school, patriotic Hollywood fashion, albeit at a price.
That biopic acknowledged just enough of Kyle’s emotional and psychological fallout to tell some truth, at least, in addressing his post-traumatic stress disorder on the home front, prior to his 2013 murder at the hands of a broken ex-Marine he had agreed to help. But “American Sniper� ventured only go so far into the real anguish without sacrificing its commercial prospects. While audiences appreciate an authentic dramatization of the horrors of combat, to many that word “authenticity� means more blood, in the digital splurch style, not more honesty.
This flick isn’t a masterpiece, not even a vulgar one, but it’s cheeky and entertaining enough in its giddy hyper-violence, thanks almost entirely to the star turn of Josh Hartnett, who has proven in his recent renaissance that he’s especially great in bozo mode. -- Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service Read moreMovie Review: Josh Hartnett saves 'Fight or Flight' from crash landing
This one will likely only appeal to fans of the genre who appreciate reverence and twists on this kind of material, but it’s bloody � if lightweight � fun for those who enjoy this kind of good old-fashioned romp in the woods. -- Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service Read moreMovie Review: 'Until Dawn' a gory romp in the woods
