An epic film hailed by a fan as “one of the best military/war movies I’ve ever seen” was removed from Netflix for UK viewers last year – but thankfully, you can still watch it elsewhere. American Sniper, which hit British screens in late 2015, tells the real-life story of a celebrated US Navy SEAL Sniper Chris Kyle, who served in the Iraq war and was given a number of commendations recognising acts of heroism and meritorious service.
Kyle is believed to be the deadliest marksman in the history of U.S. military history with at least 160 kills during four tours during the Iraq War. The sharpshooter is played by Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper in the Clint Eastwood-directed thriller, with the film depicting Kyle’s exploits on the battlefield, his struggles with PTSD, and its impact on his relationship with his wife and son.
One audience reviewer on IMDb was full of praise for the film, saying: “I spent 27 years in the US Army, was in Operation Desert Storm (the original), was vehemently opposed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and thought this movie was one of the best military/war movies I’ve ever seen.”
They added: “The realism was there, Bradley Cooper was phenomenal, the angst of a soldier during battle was portrayed brilliantly.”
The film has a 71% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes (with the figure representing the Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given this movie a positive review).
Many of the audience raved about the film, with one calling it a “fast-moving and was an accurate picture of the circumstances at that time,” adding: “The actors were excellent!”
Another wrote: “Powerful, tragic, and intense. This is a must see film.”
A third said: “A very tense, emotional film. A little slow moving but the fact it is based on a true story adds to the overall feeling of the film.”
The Express gave it four out of five stars when it was released, describing it as a: “A typically thoughtful, unflashy Clint Eastwood production”.
It went on to be nominated for six Oscars including a best actor nod for Cooper.
The film ceased to be on Netflix for UK viewers in February 2024, but it’s still available to rent or buy on other streaming platforms, including Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.