Anyone seen the movie: American Sniper...?

[HL]

Your views.

I have not seen it.

Thanks.

[Islandman]

Neither have I, but I hope to soon.

I have heard different viewpoints. Most say it is a good action movie but some say it is not an accurate depiction of Chris Kyle.

From what I have read about him he seemed to be exactly what the military wanted him to be.

[Mosiah]

Don't think I'll be seeing it. I've heard that it portrays all Arabs/Muslims/brown-skinned people as terrorists who deserve a bullet to the head. From the comments I've seen on some websites, it appeals to the idiot, fanatical fringe of the American people who would probably be taking measurements for their own white sheets and cap on any given day.

[Don1]

Don't think I'll be seeing it. I've heard that it portrays all Arabs/Muslims/brown-skinned people as terrorists who deserve a bullet to the head. From the comments I've seen on some websites, it appeals to the idiot, fanatical fringe of the American people who would probably be taking measurements for their own white sheets and cap on any given day.

Sounds perfect for HL

[Islandman]

That sounds a bit extreme given that it has pulled in more than $200 million at the US box office already. Unless of course you believe that all of mainstream America are potential KKK recruits.

My impression is that it gives an unvarnished account of that particular war from the perspective of a typical American soldier.

Maybe to be an effective sniper in war you may very well have to view everyone on the other side as a "savage", to use his term, and to see your side as anything but.

There are many humorous things in the world; among them, the white man's notion that he is less savage than the other savages. - Mark Twain

[HL]

Excellent quote by Mark Twain!

I think I will wait till it comes to HBO....

[Islandman]

Twain has some great quotes. I dd not realise until fairly recently how much of a celebrity he was for his time. He often did speaking tours to full houses.

[HL]

And it turn out that lots of popular quotes are attributed to him.

BTW:

I read his 2 'standard' books: Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn when I was young enough to not fully appreciate his brilliance.

The same with Charles Dickens, David Copperfield' Daniel Dufoe's(sp?) Robinson Crusoe.... the books, Around The World in Eighty Days, Lorna Doone, 20K Leagues Under The Sea and others.

I remember those books very well...but in retrospect, I now realized that I have missed the nuances and other traits of these writing geniuses.

Just an example: I read (for the second time) the book Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe about 4 months (or so) ago. I was maybe 13 or 14 when I read it the first time.

The second reading was so much different! Aside from the story, I found Achebe's writing style rather special and unique. I [much] preferred reading the book a second time around. The same would be true with the above mentioned books.

[Peter R]

Have you seen "The interview", it's on Netflix. Everything that is irreverent about Americans is there... BUT, I laughed plenty...shame on me!

[Gamma]

True on things fall apart. I last read it about 15 years ago and think I am due a re-read.

[Lazie]

Don't think I'll be seeing it. I've heard that it portrays all Arabs/Muslims/brown-skinned people as terrorists who deserve a bullet to the head. From the comments I've seen on some websites, it appeals to the idiot, fanatical fringe of the American people who would probably be taking measurements for their own white sheets and cap on any given day.

What is wrong with you people? Okay, you don't like the movie ... fine .... oh wait you didn't watch the movie. Same way I see people calling for a boycott of the movie Black or White? Can't we just watch the movie for what it is?

[Rockman]

The Birth of a Nation?

[Rockman]

I think Black Panthers;Vanguard of a Revolution is the movie you should pay to watch.I found out about its premier from watching democracy now.
Your impression of the Black Panther, if not already favourable,will change,and more importantly,the murder of Fred Hampton probably led to Chicago's downfall..
The survivors of the movement contributed to the production..

[Mosiah]

Will check it out.

[Islandman]

I watched the movie last night.

From a strictly action movie perspective I thought it was quite good, it gives a close-up view of what urban warfare in the Middle East is like. It also makes a decent effort at showing the difficulties war veterans experience when they return home from the frontline. I wouldn't wish that on any human, war is hell.

As to the political message in the film, it wasn't overdone in my view. Obviously since it was based on the memoirs of someone who had the simplistic USA-centric viewpoint of the world, (kill them over there so they don't come over here , etc) you had those opinions being put forward by the lead character but it was not shared by all the characters , most of whom were fellow soldiers.
I thought it was an interesting probe into the mind of someone from such a different background, one who grew up hunting and participating in rodeos, who really thought he was saving the world from evil and was willing to put himself on the line for that.

As I watched it while hearing news stories about ISIS today, I couldn't help but think what an exercise in futility these ongoing military operations seem to be. Perhaps they help to prevent imminent attacks but the anger and resentment they must create on the ground, from watching these foreign troops kicking down doors back then, to dropping bombs from drones now, it must be creating generations of terrorist recruits. I don't claim to have the answers to these difficult problems but it doesn't seem as if anyone else does either.

Anyway, I think it is worth a watch , unless being exposed to the life of someone with a different world view than you are comfortable with is something that fills you with uncontrollable rage.