May DVDs: American Sniper, Blackhat, 50 Shades…
Posted on April 30, 2015 by bob in DVD
American Sniper (R) 
Eastwood adds another success to his war-related directing resume with this fine tribute to a real-life hero. Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle served four tours in Iraq/Afghanistan. He became the most prolific practitioner of that specialty in U.S. military history, earning “The Legend” as a reverential nickname from his peers. Bradley Cooper plays him well, showing not only the subject’s backstory and his achievements overseas, but the inner man, as well.
The script from four credited writers, including Kyle’s own book, offers insights into the physical and emotional aspects of that unique combat role, covering both the theaters of action and the price paid on the homefront. As depicted, Kyle’s sense of duty and loyalty to the troops he protected from above was impossible to forget between tours. He adored his wife (Sienna Miller) and kids, but seemed restless and distracted stateside, obsessing about the troops he wasn’t covering, and the enemy’s skilled sniper counterpart he’d been unable to eliminate.
If you don’t already know Kyle’s story, the film will be more compelling, since you won’t know how it ends. Those who do will still find that Eastwood honors the soldier, the person, and his family while resisting the easy temptation to overplay any of the intense emotions experienced by the principals. The former laconic cowboy star presents his laconic hero with an old-fashioned straightforward narrative befitting not only Kyle, but all the warriors and loved ones represented by this story. Kyle’s experience transcends all political viewpoints, reminding us of how simple principled decisions can be.
Blackhat (R)
Michael Mann has written, produced and/or directed plenty of fine films, earning four Oscar nominations for The Insider and The Aviator among a slew of wins and mentions from other entities. Much of his work has been in the realm of crime and large-scale action. This globe-trotting cyberterrorism thriller will not enhance his resume. It’s too long and too dull, with a miscast lead actor and an ill-conceived path to the finish line. He shouldda known better.
Aussie hunk Chris Hemsworth has made a name and a bunch of money in Hollywood, mainly from playing Thor in several big-budget Marvel Comics-based fantasy flicks. He’s built to thrive in the few action sequences in this one, but hard to buy as one of the world’s greatest computer whizzes. He jus’ don’t seem like a guy with them kind o’ smarts.
As to the plot, someone inserted a virus into a Chinese nuclear plant, causing a near meltdown. Meanwhile, across the globe, a similar attack wrought havoc in one phase of our stock market. Were the two incidents connected? Who masterminded the incursions, and what’s their endgame? The FBI reluctantly springs Hemsworth from prison to work with a Chinese cop who had been his college roomie and fellow programming nerd. A few surprises occur along the way, but not enough to justify over two hours of running time, or to make Hemsworth grow more credible in this role.
Fifty Shades of Grey (R)
Fans of the wildly successful and controversial novel (and its two follow-ups) can finally see their own special Odd Couple (nothing like Felix and Oscar) in the privacy of their own homes, rather than just in their heads, or surrounded by dubious strangers in the theaters. I haven’t read any of the books, and nothing about this film inclines me to do so. But as an old dude, I’m not even close to their target demographic. With that in mind, let’s proceed.
The topic is sexual dominance and submission in a supposedly loving, consensual relationship. Jamie Dornan stars as Christian Grey – an absurdly rich and handsome fellow with matter-of-fact acceptance and pursuit of his kinky sexual needs. When he meets ingenue Anastasia (Dakota Johnson), there’s instant chemistry, offset by reticence on both sides. That leads to a couple of hours of will-they/should-they dancing around her decision of whether to sign on for his program. Literally.
The upside of the film is that the erotic sequences are charged with the desired level of electricity, primarily due to Johnson’s vulnerability, and her engaging mix of innocence and intelligence. That’s accomplished more with the tease than the tawdry. Despite all the pre-opening hoopla and backlash from bluenose factions, the visuals are less explicit than any of the soft-core late-night fare on Cinemax and its premium-cable brethren.
The downside is that most of the dialog, especially that intended to provide glimpses into the principals’ backstories and psyches that brought them to this point, seems like drivel. The other negative is that this film only covers the first novel, leaving the lovers (?) in limbo. Closure ain’t part of this deal, so you may not want to start unless you’re ready to hope for film sequels or start reading. I’m in no hurry for either.
Mark Glass
Mark Glass is an officer and director of the St. Louis Film Critics Association.
