American Sniper feels like a change of pace for director Clint Eastwood. His film chronicles the extraordinary life of Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper), a Navy Seal credited with over 160 kills. 

Normally, this scenario overflows with Hollywood syrup. Not here. Eastwood shows us the effects of war and how these brutal experiences leave marines hollowed out. In short, combat comes across as a soulless undertaking.

In my opinion, Cooper delivers his most authentic portrayal to date. At heart, Kyle seems like a good man raised to defend those he cares about. Several moments illustrate his state of mind regarding duty and responsibility. At every turn, he sells the veracity of what’s happening, especially when reacting to the 9/11 news report.

Sienna Miller plays Taya, the wife of Chris Kyle. Quite simply, it takes a very strong person to wait at home while her beloved travels great distances to fight. Overall, she exemplifies this quality as a mature, complex and formidable presence.

Some critics have accused American Sniper of being apolitical, jingoistic and morally inert. I don’t know what film they were watching because Eastwood shows remarkable restraint here. Both he and cinematographer Tom Stern rarely sweeten the idea of battle nor do they shy away from knife-edge, split second decisions. For instance, watching Cooper line up a target -- a young boy carrying a grenade launcher -- puts us in his shoes. Illustrating the material subjectively allows us to make up our own minds.

As of this writing, I believe American Sniper could be the most important, contemporary war picture of the last five years.

(Released by Warner Bros. and rated “R” for strong disturbing war violence, and language throughout including some sexual references.)