'Sniper' Controversy Distracts from Films Message/Madeline Boreham 4th period

The new movie, American Sniper, has opened up a topic of debate over its depiction of the Iraq War. Bradley Cooper stars as Navy SEAL Chris Kyle.  Kyle was nicked named the Legend  and had killed an estimated 160 people during his four tours in Iraq.  The film is based on Kyle's memoir and shows both his experiences at home and at war.  With Clint Eastwood as the Director, himself and Cooper really wanted to get across the message that Veterans need better care and attention.  However that is not the initial reaction the movie is receiving.

I have seen on multiple websites about how this film " Praises a monster who kills people." These people are completely missing the point of the movie.  It shows what these soldiers really go through and the mental toll it takes on them. I think Cooper and Eastwood really did a wonderful job, and have a great message, but its just isn't translated to the general public. There need to be more movements about the treatment of war veterans.  It was really after the Vietnam War when we started to see the effects of Post Dramatic Stress disorder. Making it impossible for Vets to function in the real world. They are taught to lie perfectly still for hours on end and to kill on command. Many (if not all) retired snipers are unable to fully recover from what they experienced. The movie is a way for citizens to see what kind of sacrifices are being made in order to keep this country safe.

This article was written for NPR to read the full article click the link below:

http://www.npr.org/2015/02/02/383062401/bradley-cooper-sniper-controversy-distracts-from-films-message-about-vets