Heroism In American Sniper

American Sniper

The 2013 Film American Sniper deals with the experience of postmodern warfare. While at first glance the film glorifies war and American imperialism, this is a surface level interpretation of the film. The film depicts the heroism of battle but does not shy away from the darker aspects of war. Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle is portrayed as a brave combatant but does not hesitate to depict the strain put on his family or the hard choices which are part of the nature of warfare. The film is even-handed in its depiction of warfare. The central message of the film is ambivalent about the value of war and has aspects which are both pro and anti-war. Clint Eastwood is correct when he states that film has an antiwar aspect and that it shows just how devastating war is for survivors and their family;

While the soldiers are depicted as heroic, the conflict itself is not imbued with a higher purpose as was the case in most World War II films. It also did not hesitate to show the brutal reality of modern combat, or the costs born by family and friends. This nuanced portrayal in some ways allowed the audience to project their biases upon the film. Viewers on the right considered the film a tribute to the heroism of Chris Kyle and United States military. Those on the left consider it a glorification of imperialism and war. Both sides overstate their case, while the film depicts the soldiers as heroic, it does not hesitate to show the brutality of war or the way it cripples those impacted by it.

To close, American Sniper tells the story of SEAL sniper Chris Kyle. It depicts the brutality of war while respecting the heroism of the soldiers who fought in the conflict. It shows the way war destroys those who fight them and damages their family. The film is neither pro-war or anti-war. It instead creates a nuanced depiction of war and its effects on