Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper has been dominating box offices across the country, already raking in more than $200M after only ten days in theatres. In the movie, Bradley Cooper plays the role of American sniper Chris Kyle. The memoir runs through Kyle’s childhood to his decision to enlist, and follows him into the heart of the war. The movie has already earned an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, and Bradley Cooper’s breathtaking performance earned him a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.
My friend and I decided to see American Sniper the day after it was officially released. We showed up for the 7pm viewing overly optimistic. Not only had that showing sold out, but so had two of the three others that were being offered that night. We managed to grab tickets to the 10:20, which sold out shortly after. My friend and I waited patiently on line to enter the theatre—people packed in like sardines. 132 minutes later, the credits ended and the screen went dark. You could have heard a penny drop from across the room. Not one person in the movie moved until this moment—we all sat through the entirety of the credits, waited for the lights to flicker on, and walked out in a deafening silence. The only person who spoke leaving the theatre was a young man in his twenties who turned to a Veteran wearing a military hat and said, “thank you for your service.”
This phenomenon was not just something that my friend and I had experienced; almost every person who has gone to see the movie in theatres have observed the same thing. Even when we got out to the parking lot, no one was speaking. This movie has done it—it has left a fast-paced, loud, and opinionated society completely speechless. It brought awareness to the sacrifices that these men and women in uniform are giving every day. It portrayed the unspeakable, bloody violence and the effect it has physically and mentally on those who experience it first hand. American Sniper undoubtedly honors Chris Kyle, the heroic and historic American sniper who gave the ultimate sacrifice after protecting our country, and should be a must-see for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet.