By Stephanie Harvey and Anthony Murray
Business Editor and Copy Editor

“American Sniper”, which was nominated for six Oscars, tells the story of Chris Kyle, an American hero. The life of Kyle is a moving story; it is filled with bravery, protecting loved ones, and patriotism. Kyle, a Navy SEAL, is an excellent marksman—he has more confirmed kills than any other sniper in American history. More impressive than his aim, however, is his devotion to protecting his fellow Americans. Kyle joined the military to protect his country and in the war he put his own life at risk multiple times to save other soldiers. Despite his incredible success, Kyle reports that his only regrets from Iraq are the lives he failed to save. Kyle may regret the lives lost in Iraq, but without him there would undoubtedly be more American soldiers killed.

The movie is accurately based on the autobiography “American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. History.” Kyle wrote the memoir to show the hardships military families face and to honor his two friends, Marc Lee and Ryan “Biggles” Job, who died as a result of the war but did not receive Purple Hearts.

Just like Kyle’s memoir, the movie focuses on the hardships military families face. While Kyle served overseas his wife, Taya Kyle, was left alone to take care of their two children. This was a frequent strain on their relationship.

Not only does the war take Kyle away from his family but it also distances him when he is home. One of the biggest recurring themes in the movie is the impact of war on veterans and soldiers. When Kyle comes home from Iraq, he struggles to return to his old routine. He is frequently anxious and his blood pressure is extremely high. The war plagues Kyle’s mind and he cannot escape.

Normal things now alarm Kyle, like the sound of a drill or a dog playing with a child. During a barbecue, Kyle almost kills his dog because the dog is playing with his son, reminding Kyle of the attack dogs in Iraq. In fact, the man who kills Kyle is a veteran who, according to his family, is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. The awful experience of war takes a vicious toll on our veterans.

Critics accuse Kyle of being unemotional and killing people in war for fun. This is disproven in the beginning scene of the movie when a woman and her child walk onto the street, towards an American convoy. The woman is holding a RKG-3 Russian Anti-Tank Grenade and hands it to her son. Kyle is torn between his duty to protect the soldiers and his desire not to hurt a child. The child then starts running toward an American convoy and Kyle has no other choice but to do his duty. The mother, after seeing her son shot, picks up the grenade underneath her son’s body and tries to finish what her son started. Kyle is then forced to shoot her too.

In his memoir Kyle tells about this scene. Although Kyle never shot the boy, he did shoot the woman. However, he did not find joy with being faced with this decision. It was “the only time I killed anyone other than a male combatant,” writes Kyle.

Another reason people criticize Kyle is his use of the word “savages” to describe his enemies. Some claim that Kyle was a racist who viewed Iraqis as sub-human savages. However, Kyle clearly does not have that view. When asked about his use of the word “savages,” he points out that he is referring to “the people I was killing, not just Iraqis.” He says they are savages for committing heinous acts like beheading Americans, killing American troops and raping village women. In the movie one such savage tortures and kills a young Iraqi boy with a power drill. Sadly, “the Butcher” is based on a real al-Qaeda member who killed his victims with a power drill. Kyle did not call his enemies savages because of the color of their skin but because of their actions. “They live by putting fear into other people’s hearts and civilized people just don’t act that way,” he said.

American soldiers, whether they are the most lethal sniper in American history or they serve on U.S. soil, should always be honored. The horrid events Kyle told in his memoir are just some of the few things that soldiers face when going to war. During an interview with Time magazine Kyle stated how his wife “always said that when I came home I took my cape off and put it on the door.” Soldiers are real-life heroes sometimes faced with savage people; they are brave men and women risking their lives for freedom.