If the University of Maryland won’t screen ‘American Sniper,’ I will

The American Mirror ^ | 4/24/15 | David Vogt

[Kyle Olson]

As a Marine combat veteran and former Marine of the Year, I am extremely disappointed in the University of Maryland’s decision to silence the story of a man who valiantly served our great nation.

Just like the men and women I had the privilege of serving beside in the Marine Corps, Chris Kyle put on his uniform every day to protect and preserve liberty, the open discussion of ideas, and the opportunity for every American — regardless of race, religion, culture, or gender — to succeed and achieve the American Dream.

[Hulka]

“You’d think that the director could have found at least one unemplyed Iraq vet that could’ve made things a bit more accurate”

Like Lone Survivor. Used Marcus and some of his buddies. Hollywood can't always be 100% correct, got to have some embellishments for theatrical reasons.

Kind of like fighter pilots, when we watch a movie like, say, Top Gun, it drives us nuts for many of the same reasons you find land combat movies intolerable.

[Albion Wilde]

Interesting. So I guess the above objection to that sat phone scene is on point. Thanks for your reply!

[Chainmail]

I think that a really accurate war movie would horrify and even hurt the audience, so there are limits but some movies are almost irresponsible - and I count this one as one of those. I spent almost a quarter century training young people how fight and this movie (among many others) teach completely stupid things.

Sometimes we all crave escapist nonsense (I liked Top Gun even though it was silly) but sometimes the movie is meant to be taken seriously and because of really lousy story/direction, shows stuff that is completely fraudulent. Nobody, ever hoses ammo if they have more than one hour in country: running out is fatal. A wall won’t protect you from your thrown grenade. You never see the enemy rushing in the open en masse: even the enemy know how to put down suppressive fire and advance in bounds.

Etc., etc... It was also poorly/woodenly acted, really poorly edited, and really difficult to enjoy at any point.

OK, while I’m ranting - how many times have you looked through a scope and seen a rock-steady reticle? One of the really great capabilities of a top sniper like Chris Kyle has is the ability to overcome or compensate for the movement of the reticle due to breathing, side wind, even heartbeat.

Does anybody think anyone would really spend time on the phone when a firefight starts?

Darn movie was a cartoon, not a tribute to a fine fighting man. The only worse movie was The Trench, supposedly about the Battle of the Somme. Total joke.