Just got home from seeing this one and I hate to sound like an old picky bastard but here goes. I wasn't that impressed. The film was much less violent than I was expecting, much less than Sole Survivor or Black Hawk Down, it was less sad than I expected except for the ending, and less dramatic than I expected. The movie never really got me excited by all the action, I was just watching it. It wasn't a bad movie. It just wasn't great. It was a good movie about a great story about an even greater man. But at least it didn't have red and green tracers all over the screen. And the fat lady sitting next to me kept her hands to herself. I'd say a 7 out of 10.
I fell asleep during it. Not sure if that says it was a boring film or I'm morphing into Colonial Bawb as the years slide by.
Yeah, this was a disappointing movie for me as well. It's like Clint Eastwood went into it with no idea of what he was trying to say, and he never did come up with an answer. The tone was all over the place and the whole movie seemed very flat and lifeless.
Whew... Thought it was just me. ;)
Michael Moore, still a dbag
https://tv.yahoo.com/news/seth-rogen-michael-moore-slam-145300176.html
And yet, the press coverage this flick is getting would make you think this is hands down the best 'Murican movie ever made.
I didn't quite catch it but it seems this got an Academy Award nod without having even been released yet, right? That makes no damn sense to me.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on January 19, 2015, 12:09:39 PM
And yet, the press coverage this flick is getting would make you think this is hands down the best 'Murican movie ever made.
I didn't quite catch it but it seems this got an Academy Award nod without having even been released yet, right? That makes no damn sense to me.
Academy voters get press screener DVD copies. Actually, most movie reviewers get them. In the case of American Sniper, they were apparently released to critics something like a month before the theatrical release date.
The more I think about this movie, the less I like it. It really was kind of a mess. I don't know who the screenwriter was who adapted the book, but he kinda blew it.
I still want to see it at some point in order to formulate my own opinion, but I have a feeling it will be pretty close to those expressed herein. I just know there's no way I'm going to the theater to see it.
OK Sniper experts please respond. One question from the film that bugs me. Kyle's weapon during the film is the Remington but I thought he used the 50cal. also. Does anyone know for sure? Because I saw another SEAL sniper yesterday on TV that had scored 33 kills in 4 months in Afghanistan and he used the AR 15. I'm interested because of differences in the weapons. Do the snipers get to choose which ever weapon they prefer? And is there a big difference in the weapons based on accuracy or just weight?
Quote from: Sir Slash on January 20, 2015, 11:17:12 AMDo the snipers get to choose which ever weapon they prefer?
Generally, yes. And SEALS/Delta/SF get to choose whatever they prefer, too.
I thought he mostly used a Lapua .338. Anyway, I don't think they really paid any attention to the technical aspects of shooting in the film. You see a lot of shots of snipers just cranking away on their scope turrets without bothering to get ranges before-hand. They don't seem to be counting clicks or checking hash-marks on the dials either and none of them seem to have or need a dope chart.
I was kind of hoping they'd put in the bit with him and Jesse Ventura into the film but I guess they couldn't seeing as how Jesse won his defamation suit.
everyone that I know, who arent like us, that has seen this movie has loved it.
Seeing it this weekend.
So, people with military experience or have close ties to the military think the movie is decent but all over the place and confusing, while the ignorant masses without a clue think it's totally awesome?
I got disinterested the minute I saw Bradley Cooper was in it.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on January 22, 2015, 10:16:01 AM
So, people with military experience or have close ties to the military think the movie is decent but all over the place and confusing, while the ignorant masses without a clue think it's totally awesome?
Pretty much.
There's a Vietnam vet former Marine Sniper who works at my local grocery store. Mike's fairly crazy, though not nearly as bad as his borderline psychotic wife. He's the nicest guy in the world and tends to let everyone around know what he's thinking at any given moment with a stream of consciousness monologue. It's clear from what he says that he's no dummy and keeps up on current news and events. Once I saw him read some numbers from a distance with no effort at all, while I couldn't make them out even squinting with my glasses on. I commented on it and he said that it was his vision that got him picked for sniper school.
Mike's the guy who cleans the bathrooms and walks around changing out trash bags. He definitely deserves better.
I kinda liked it.
I didnt really see the need to get to technical about sniping.
I was bothered that they used a vis mod M-60 as an M-1 stand in.
Really... Clint couldnt get a real one?
I'm with you, Star...it wasn't a bad movie. I just saw it. I couldn't help but to feel Eastwood did a pretty poor job of portraying him, though. Maybe it's because the movie was indeed scatter-shot and all the fuck over the place with no real direction or anchor. Bradley Cooper didn't do too bad a job portraying him, but it was NOWHERE near an Oscar-worthy performance, not on any count.
The last few minutes of the movie, with the procession...that was indeed powerful. But the rest of the movie, not so much, though I felt like it really COULD have been.
the back and forth was a useful plot device but it didnt show how much he changed from BUDs to his last deployment. he kind of walled up after the first go and stayed there. the movie could have done more with that. it could also have spent more time after he got out and gone a bit more into how he unwound from it all.
I find it funny that my biggest gripe is still that vis mod M-60. yes, I'm complaining about the tank in a sniper movie. :crazy2:
QuoteThey don't seem to be counting clicks or checking hash-marks on the dials either and none of them seem to have or need a dope chart.
I saw a lot of scope adjustments and ranging with a pair of laser binoculars. maybe you were getting popcorn or peeing.
I saw the adjustments he was making, but it seemed as if he was making a lot of them. I got the feeling it was just Hollywood BS, sort of like watching a scene of people in a car and the person driving is moving the wheel back and forth, back and forth, but the car stays perfectly straight.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on January 24, 2015, 07:33:29 PM
the back and forth was a useful plot device but it didnt show how much he changed from BUDs to his last deployment. he kind of walled up after the first go and stayed there. the movie could have done more with that. it could also have spent more time after he got out and gone a bit more into how he unwound from it all.
I find it funny that my biggest gripe is still that vis mod M-60. yes, I'm complaining about the tank in a sniper movie. :crazy2:
QuoteThey don't seem to be counting clicks or checking hash-marks on the dials either and none of them seem to have or need a dope chart.
I saw a lot of scope adjustments and ranging with a pair of laser binoculars. maybe you were getting popcorn or peeing.
Only ranged in two scenes and the adjustments he made were pretty much as BC said, lots of huge adjustments made at very rapid speed even when he was at ranges of 150 metres. Just didn't seem authentic to me.
Whatever. Not a great film. Not a bad film. I wish they would have shown off more of his flaws in order to present a better picture of the man rather than the somewhat simplistic version Eastwood showed us.
I liked it, good not great. Bradley Cooper was excellent. Agree on showing more of his flaws.
The ending was powerful. I wondered how it would be handled and Eastwood nailed it.
I would have liked the sandstorm battle to gave played out longer.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on January 25, 2015, 03:39:56 PM
I would have liked the sandstorm battle to gave played out longer.
+1
Me too. Never forget to call your wife in the middle of a life and death firefight.
Ya, that routine got old quick.
What gets me are most of my friends on Facebook commenting on how amazing and powerful this movie is. Certainly it had its moments, but Eastwood pretty much pooched the majority of it. He had something great to work with and he molded it into a mediocre, merely 'okay' story (except the end, which was great). Telling these people that the movie was merely okay would likely turn me into an American hater and a Chris Kyle hater.
It's not that, it's Eastwood's portrayal that's highly disappointing, but people don't get that, so I kept my opinion to myself...except here of course. :)
QuoteI wish they would have shown off more of his flaws in order to present a better picture of the man rather than the somewhat simplistic version Eastwood showed us.
Didn't watch the movie so far but it seems many folks have such a rather "simplistic" view of the man as "hero" and flaws are not really what people are looking for when it comes to heroes...although all his talk about how he enjoyed killing, regrets to not have killed more, all savages who deserved it etc. make it easy for those who criticize him or this hero image.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on January 26, 2015, 08:13:23 AM
What gets me are most of my friends on Facebook commenting on how amazing and powerful this movie is. Certainly it had its moments, but Eastwood pretty much pooched the majority of it. He had something great to work with and he molded it into a mediocre, merely 'okay' story (except the end, which was great). Telling these people that the movie was merely okay would likely turn me into an American hater and a Chris Kyle hater.
It's not that, it's Eastwood's portrayal that's highly disappointing, but people don't get that, so I kept my opinion to myself...except here of course. :)
I believe that it will eventually come out that the script and film were edited with an actual hatchet. That might explain the weird inconsistencies, pointless asides that go nowhere and odd 'now he's here, now he doesn't exist!' problem that happens too often with characters.
I think a lot of the reaction is down to the fact that the film has now become politicized due to the douchey comments from Michael Moore and Seth Rogan and the way the right wing media decided to make it a talking point. Idiots both both sides are now announcing their like or dislike of the film as a way to show their political affiliation.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on January 26, 2015, 03:56:10 PM
I think a lot of the reaction is due to the fact that the film has now become politicized due to the douchey comments from Michael Moore and Seth Rogan and the way the right wing media decided to make it a talking point. Idiots both both sides are now announcing their like or dislike of the film as a way to show their political affiliation.
+1
I think this an excellent review of American Sniper. It's fair and highlights the qualities of the film.
http://www.npr.org/2015/01/28/382157425/full-of-complexity-and-ambivalence-american-sniper-shows-the-cost-of-war
I recommend listening to the audio and not just reading the transcript.
The more I consider the movie and Cooper's performance, the greater my appreciation becomes. I need to see it again.
I can see that pretty clearly. I think the biggest problem I had seeing the movie was reading everyone elses opinions about it first.
its also a very rare case of seeing a movie based on a book without reading the book first.
I haven't read the book either. Plan to now.
are you getting the pop up book?
I'd love to read the book - especially a pop-up version - but considering how Hollywood butchers books for movies, I'd probably be even more disappointed in the film.
I preferred Lone survivor. I'm sure both films have had the Hollywood treatment..but LS was a good watch. Great intense action.
I kept replacing Marky Mark with Wile E. Coyote in my mind as I watched Lone Survivor. How many cliffs did he fall off of? I kinda hoped he'd put out some bird seed and try to drop an anvil on the Taliban.
Hehe..yeah I know..but still good intense action. Why they let them go in the first place I've no idea.