AMERICAN SNIPER | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"AMERICAN SNIPER"
(2014) (Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller) (R)

QUICK TAKE:: Drama/Action: A gung-ho Navy SEAL serves in Iraq as a highly proficient sniper, unaware of what his repeated tours of duty are doing to him and his marriage.

PLOT:

It's 1998 and Chris Kyle (BRADLEY COOPER) is an aspiring rodeo rider who, like his younger brother, Jeff (KEIR O'DONNELL), had a certain life philosophy instilled into him by his father. And that was that the world is filled with three kinds of people, sheep, wolves and sheepdogs whose jobs are to protect the innocent from those who are evil. When terrorists blow up several American embassies, Chris decides to enlist in the military and ends up becoming a Navy SEAL. It's then that he meets Taya (SIENNA MILLER) in a bar, sweeps her off her feet, and ends up deployed on their wedding day.

Serving alongside the likes of fellow SEAL Marc Lee (LUKE GRIMES), Chris is a sniper who works to protect those on the ground in Iraq. He soon becomes quite proficient at killing those who want to kill American soldiers, eventually becoming something of a legend among his fellow men.

On the other side, former Syrian Olympic sharpshooter Mustafa (SAMMY SHEIK) is racking up the kills as well, and Chris makes it his mission to eventually kill that man when he gets the chance. But as he continues his sniper spree through multiple tours in Iraq, Chris doesn't initially realize what such combat is doing to his psyche, and the effects that's having on his marriage to Taya, especially now that they're parents of two young kids.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Those who are into movies about the military will likely be interested, as might those who are fans of Cooper or anyone else in the cast.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For strong and disturbing war violence, and language throughout including some sexual references.

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