Matt Taibbi watched American Sniper so I don't have to.

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I was going off what Taibbi said about it, that at least Cooper winces (so to speak) after killing people, whereas in the book everything seems just peachy.

But if you're saying he's wrong, and that doesn't happen, obviously I can't contradict you because I haven't seen it.

EDIT: Possible spoilers below





































































































After he makes his first kills in the film, a woman and her 12 year old son, he isn't happy about it. But he's also not remorseful, he remarks several times they gave him no choice. In reality there was no 12 year old boy, only a woman with a hand grenade, which I still don't understand why the screenwriters decided to add the boy to the story.

Later another even younger boy attempts to pick up an RPG launcher dropped by his father after Kyle kills him, in the movie he says "Don't you fucking do it kid, god damnit, don't do it!" the whole time taking slack out of the trigger. The boy eventually drops it, and Kyle seems relieved.

So yeah, Cooper winces after shooting a kid and his mother, and even yells at his spotter who is pounding him on the back telling him how awesome that was, to "get the fuck off me". But as far as displaying remorse, which would be questioning if he did the right thing, or being sorry he did it, not at all. In fact a few minutes later he happily grins as people hang the nickname "Legend" on him.

 

[Michchamp]

EDIT: Possible spoilers below


...

not sure how to quote that without inadvertantly revealing spoilers, but... whatevs.

I guess that was Taibbi's point though: in the book Kyle explicitly says something like "I wish I killed more." (trying to find the exact quote). in the movie it at least makes him appear troubled over it, or...not a complete psychopath, if you want to put it that way.

Here's Fox Business News (not sure why business news would comment on a RollingStone article about a movie, but that's Fox for ya!) comment, including the "CEO" of some BS right-wing veterans group's take on Taibbi's article. I can't imagine even attempting to have a discussion with these clowns. they are just too stupid.

 

[biggunsbob]

I thought Cooper was fantastic.. But then again Eastwood leans to the right.....
I thought the move captures what it was like to be a sniper... I also think it may have left out a few things...His estate did lose that law suit to Jessie Ventura.. I also read somewhere which I cannot say is true or untrue that Kyle was a shoot first ask questions later type of guy..Probably bad for the dead people but endearing to his other soldiers. Eastwood just skirted that issue by says Kyle was justified in every shooting... Is he a coward Like Moore said.. Well I have thoughts on that and I believe MM is wrong to says this even if His relative was killed by a Sniper.. If all side don't understand what a messy business war is then i cannot help them... I never experienced war which I am glad for.. My dad was just to young for WWII but lucky him was stationed in Hawaii from 1945-46ish.. He talked to a a lot of guys who fought in the pacific and all he would tell me was War was no freaking joke....... My Uncle was a navy Corpsman and worked in the burn unit I think In SF during that war and he said it was just awful....

 

[tinselwolverine]

r... I also think it may have left out a few things...His estate did lose that law suit to Jessie Ventura..

The lawsuit came after the autobiography had been written and published; the lawsuit was a direct result of claims that Kyle made specifically about Ventura in the autobiography and in Kyle's media promotion of the book.

The part about of the autobiography where Kyle claims to have had an encounter with Ventura were ordered by the court to be removed from any printings of the autobiography going forward as part of the resolution of the lawsuit.

 

[Gulo Blue]

Apparently, this guy also claimed to have shot 30 looters from the top of the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/kyleclaims.asp

 

[Michchamp]

Apparently, this guy also claimed to have shot 30 looters from the top of the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/kyleclaims.asp

I think we addressed that one in another thread. I wonder how much of the rest of his story is complete BS.

Presumably he did shoot a lot of people in Iraq; how many of those killings were really justified, even by the loose standards of the "War On Terror" (i.e. the person was anywhere near the scene of violence holding something that looks like a weapon, or was a 'military aged male' in a Muslim country)? This guy is the very definition of an unreliable narrator.

 

[SpartyNash]

All political bullshit from both sides aside, I really liked the movie. I'm not a huge movie critic or viewer so I have no idea if it is worth all the nominations for Oscars the film itself has received, but I thought Cooper was great. Bob is right in some things were skirted by. But overall it was definitely worth seeing.

 

[tinselwolverine]

I'm going to see American sniper in about 15 minutes. I'm in Vegas with my cousin at the Southpoint, it's his dream trip of a lifetime. He just won another 54 blocks and he's actually up to hundred bucks on none of his own money, because he started with a $20 voucher.

He's at the cashier right now collecting his money, I think I'm going to go find another cocktail before the movie starts.

America is awesome.

Las Vegas is awesome.

Has any of you guys ever read the book "fear and loathing in Las Vegas" or seen the movie?

 

[Michchamp]

I'm going to see American sniper in about 15 minutes. I'm in Vegas with my cousin at the Southpoint, it's his dream trip of a lifetime. He just won another 54 blocks and he's actually up to hundred bucks on none of his own money, because he started with a $20 voucher.

He's at the cashier right now collecting his money, I think I'm going to go find another cocktail before the movie starts.

America is awesome.

Las Vegas is awesome.

Has any of you guys ever read the book "fear and loathing in Las Vegas" or seen the movie?

No i would never watch such Un-christian movies

 

[tinselwolverine]

No i would never watch such Un-christian movies

I think me and the cousin both liked the movie okay.

I think my cousin is having a really good time here in Vegas; and that's important to me because he always wanted to come here.

My cousin is the sweetest best person I know; he is the one whose wife died about a year ago and I suddenly went back to Michigan for her funeral.


I'll tell you more off the board.

 

[Michchamp]

I think me and the cousin both liked the movie okay.

...

did you both spontaneously burst into tears, hug, and cry out "I love Jesus Christ and George W. Bush" after the movie?

 

[tinselwolverine]

did you both spontaneously burst into tears, hug, and cry out "I love Jesus Christ and George W. Bush" after the movie?

Curiously that didn't happen; nor did I see anybody else in the audience doing that.

It appeared to me that everybody else looked to be like they were looking forward to getting back to the functions of either to piss, shit eat drink or gamble.

As was I.

And as I expect my cousin it was also.

Bradley Cooper was pretty good though; he is a pretty good actor.

 

[Michchamp]

...

Bradley Cooper was pretty good though; he is a pretty good actor.

he is no Russell Crowe.

 

[tinselwolverine]

he is no Russell Crowe.

Not yet.

Give him time.

What I like about Bradley Cooper is, my former mother-in-law says he looks like I used to when I married her daughter.

She's right-except I was better looking.

I probably still am.