What America WANTS in a Sniper

The recent blockbuster, American Sniper, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Bradley Cooper, is supposed to be based on the autobiography by ex-Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. However, in truth, the film strays from the storyline of the book significantly. Having read the book and seen the movie- both of which I would highly recommend despite the criticism about to follow- I know that not only are omissions made and events dramatized, but the characteristics and actions of protagonist Chris Kyle are different than shown in his best-selling autobiography.

A few additions may not seem so significant, but some of the changes struck me as too big to ignore. Take the portrayal of fellow SEAL Ryan Job for instance. In the movie, Ryan Job is shot in the face by an enemy sniper and dies in a military hospital soon afterward. In real life, Job was seriously wounded but still made it home to his wife and children. I couldn't help but wonder why the writer and/or director decided to make this change. One reason might have been that it set the protagonist Chris Kyle on a quest for revenge against the foreign enemy, which is well explained by this Slate article. So maybe a living man was shown to be dead in order to portray Kyle as a more noble figure, one who avenges his fallen comrades even if it mean taking a fourth tour of duty in Iraq, one more than normal.

This possible intention, of making Kyle appear like a better person in the movie, actually made sense after considering how different his stance on war is in the book. While in the movie Kyle goes to war entirely to protect his country and save American lives, in the book he explains the excitement and enjoyment that his line of work brings him. He admits many of his weaknesses on the battlefield, including thinking with his emotions not his head, and also reveals his ruthlessness as a soldier, "You'd have a violent explosion, a fire, and then no more enemy. Gotta love it". In the movie, something designed by producers, and intended to be approved of by the public, Kyle is never shown to have this love for violence and death.

But is this change okay to make? It does make for a more relatable and more noble hero figure. But, in a way, it may be hiding American civilians from the truth about our military. By portraying our soldiers are extremely virtuous and good-willed people, the movie may be presenting a skewed depiction of American involvement in the Middle East. And this may lead Americans to further believe what our country is doing is always right. Though as Kyle explains himself in his memoirs, he is not one-hundred percent perfect. He turns saving American lives into a bloodsport of killing as many enemies as possible. Yet, unless you read the book, you would never know the truth.

Is it okay for producers to change these aspects of a story when it is based on real life events, especially something as significant as the war in Afghanistan?