At the ripe old age of 84, director Clint Eastwood still managed to pump out two movies this year (including June’s Jersey Boys). American Sniper, the second of the two, was finished at breakneck speed to qualify for Oscars awards consideration. Eastwood’s last few movies have tarnished his once flawless reputation, so he is no longer guaranteed the critical acclaim that he was just a few years back. Despite some of the usual pro-American themes, American Sniper doesn’t feel as reminiscent of Eastwood’s previous work, and, therefore, it is easier to forget any baggage that may come with it and see it as its own project.

Bradley Cooper plays Chris Kyle, or “Legend” as he becomes known shortly into his career. As the title suggest, he is an all-American hero (from Texas I might add) who, over the course of the War in Iraq, becomes the most utilized sniper in the military. The film does take the more conventional biography approach to depicting his life, but, fortunately, the time span is short enough that it works well, and more importantly, there is enough of a recurring plot that my attention was held through the entire film.

What the film does best are the action sequences, which immerse the viewer into the war. The film is also completely dependent on Bradley Cooper, who is truly at the top of his game here.  He can and does immerse himself without being showy or attention-grabbing. Eastwood knows that Cooper is the strength of the picture, so we get a lot of focus on him (maybe one too many slow zoom-ins), leaving the rest of the characters not as well developed.

Eastwood knows that Cooper is the strength of the picture, so we get a lot of focus on him, leaving the rest of the characters not as well developed.

While the first two-thirds of the movie focus on Kyle’s tours of duty, in the end it transitions to grappling with coming home, and his inability to reintegrate into society. I would say that the film perfectly balances the amount of time spent in both places. The PTSD elements are solid, but I can still remember The Hurt Locker achieving an even more powerful effect with even less.

I don’t necessarily think that American Sniper is Eastwood back in his groove. I am also left unsure about how pro-war the film intends to be: Chris Kyle certainly is, but the message of the film itself may vary depending on the viewer. In telling a compelling action-biography rooted in a great performance, the film is a success. My last thoughts: like this year’s Foxcatcher and other movies based on true stories, you will enjoy the film more not knowing how the true events unfolded. So go see the movie without any knowledge, then do your research afterward for maximum enjoyment!

American Sniper is in theaters today.