Over the weekend, Clint Eastwood‘s "American Sniper" blew away even optimistic expectations by expanding into wide release and earning a staggering $90 million, smashing January box office records. But that wasn’t the only talk surrounding the movie. If you peeked at social media, you would’ve seen debate swirling around "American Sniper" and its accuracy in telling the full story of Navy S.E.A.L. Chris Kyle, and its political stance (or lack thereof). In particular, Michael Moore came under fire for tweeting, "My uncle killed by sniper in WW2. We were taught snipers were cowards. Will shoot u in the back. Snipers aren’t heroes. And invaders r worse." Many presumed the director was taking a swipe at "American Sniper," but in a longer post on Facebook, Moore clarified his mixed feelings on Eastwood’s film.
Foremost, he praises Bradley Cooper‘s performance in the movie, and also singles out the ad campaign for "American Sniper," along with its various technical achievements. But as for the actual content, Moore has some issues. He calls out Eastwood’s "confused" storytelling and how Iraqis are described as "savages" in the film, but that said, he does appreciate the film’s "anti-war sentiment" (though many have argued that "American Sniper" is problematically apolitical).
Check out Moore’s full thoughts below and let us know what you think in the comments section.
