American Sniper is the true story of Chris Kyle, a US Navy Seal sniper, who fought in Iraq for four tours of duty. Although Kyle is known as one of the most lethal snipers in American history, he finds that he cannot leave the war behind after returning home. Kyle struggles with what appears to be signs of PTSD and the thought that he could have done more to save others. Helping and protecting others has always been a part of Kyle’s life and this is what keeps him going back over seas. He seeks revenge for his fallen comrades and wants to save more lives than he already has. However, in doing so, Kyle leaves his wife alone to care for her two small children back home. This causes a feud at home not only between Kyle and his family, but Kyle and himself.

This stunning film stars Bradley Cooper as Kyle. Cooper, who is from the Philadelphia area and an avid Eagles fan, also stars in such movies as Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, and The Hangover. Preparation for the film took a lot of work. In four months, Cooper gained forty pounds of muscle by consuming eight thousand calories per day and working out 4 hours per day to match Kyle’s 6ft 2in, 220 pound frame. Practicing shooting a rifle was also a priority for Cooper. With the help of Navy SEAL sniper Kevin Lacz, who previously served with Kyle, Cooper was hitting 800-yard targets on the second day of training.

Clint Eastwood, who is most famous for his roles in Dirty Harry and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, is the mastermind behind American Sniper. Eastwood also directed and starred in Gran Torino as well as Million Dollar Baby which won Eastwood Academy Awards for Best Director and Producer of the Best Picture, as well as receiving nominations for Best Actor. Hoping to build on the trophy case, American Sniper has scored six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing. American Sniper and these other films over the past decade show that Eastwood is still kicking at the young age of 84.

This film is so far unrivaled in 2015 and by the end of the year will be considered as one of the best. American Sniper is among the greatest war films including Saving Private Ryan, Full Metal Jacket, Zero Dark Thirty, and Lone Survivor. Perfect is not too strong of a word to describe this emotional roller coaster that will keep you on the edge of your seat. However, this movie has its moments that are hard to watch. You would suspect this out of a war film, but more so than I was expecting. With strong language and gore filled battle scenes, this is not the movie to watch with your younger siblings or while you babysit. Be prepared for sweaty palms, goosebumps, and maybe a tear or two near the end.

The final scene faded out and no music was playing as the closing credits rolled down the screen. The theater was eerily quiet and you could hear a pin drop as though a funeral had just taken place for a fallen soldier. As the viewers left the theater, one could feel the calming of emotions and hear the mellowing of crying. Although depressing, these are signs of a well executed film that will be remembered for decades to come.