
The filmic language shown in American Sniper helps the director express the impact of the war and its consequences through the life of Chris Kyle, the deadliest sniper in American history. A little background information on the movie: Chris Kyle was a Navy Seal who was also known as the most lethal sniper in American history. His pinpoint accuracy not only saved countless lives but, also made him a prime target of insurgents. Despite the dangerous war conditions, and his everyday role as a husband and father, Kyle served four tours of duty in Iraq. However, when he finally returns home, he finds that he cannot put the war behind him. The argument presented in this film is shown through the physical, emotional, and psychological hardships of war, stating that the surface of what you see isn’t always the same as what’s underneath. The monochromatic colors of war, the terrain of Iraq, and even different camera angles help the director express the severity of war’s effects  on Chris Kyle emotionally, physically, and psychologically.

In frame four, Kyle is shown from a bug’s eye view wearing the monochromatic colors of a soldier, blending in with his surroundings, and wearing sunglasses while gazing out beyond the frame. There is an open sky behind him which shows the tranquility in the moment. The casualness of Kyle’s sunglasses displays to the viewer a sense of authority and supremacy that suggests his current safety and undisturbed whereabouts. By gazing ahead in a forward direction, Kyle is presumed to be solidifying a target when it appears; this also allows for a sense of calamity even though Kyle is obviously in an area of chaos. The bug’s eye view in this scene is used to show Kyle’s authority and power over the war by making him look larger and more tranquil than his surroundings.

An unfortunate part of war is the emotional strain that is brought upon each of the men and women serving our country; these emotional hardships triggered by traumatic experiences can even complicate a soldier's everyday life after returning home from war. This was shown visually through a close up of Kyle as he was looking through the scope of his gun. The gaze presented in this scene makes the viewer consider Kyle’s emotions, and the pressure he is under at that particular moment. The closeness of the lens, depicts droplets of sweat upon Kyle's face, grabbing the attention of the viewer and drawing he or she into the seriousness of the scene. American Sniper tells the emotional story of Kyle's everyday struggle of maintaining a normal family life, while risking his own life in Iraq. The lack of communication during his deployment, left Kyle unable to provide emotionally for his growing family.  Although limited and sparse, the few times Kyle was able to communicate with his family resulted in tension because of his stressful circumstances.   In contrast to frame four, Kyle is perceived to be more relaxed because of the lack of gear; yet, this comparison leaves the viewer to believe there is more going on emotionally within Kyle that is tugging at his core. 

The monochromatic color scheme shown throughout this entire film presents the negative connotation of war. The terrain, climate, and environment surrounding men and women in a time of war may greatly impact the physical hardships their bodies take on. In frames one and three of American Sniper, the audience is specifically drawn to the monochromatic color scheme and physical environment. The first frame shows a bird’s eye view of Kyle in the middle of a decrepit war zone, covered in debris, and hinting towards his desired target that was shown in frame two. This camera angle establishes a view of the entire environment, so that the viewer understands the current scene. In comparison to frame three, Iraq is shown through an establishing shot with a focus on the sunset. There is an open sky with a war zone underneath it, a town that is diverse through culture, religion, and ethnicity, and an industrialized city fighting for their own freedom. While it may seem like a safe zone during the hustle and bustle of the war, the men and women putting their lives on the line for other Americans know it is the farthest thing from safe. These frames (1, 2, and 3) show the toll it takes on Chris Kyle physically because he is not accustomed to the terrain of Iraq, and emotionally because he has family extremely far away who will be looking at the same sunset just a few hours later while he continues to fight in the war. 

Psychologically, war is deteriorating. The human mind can’t process what goes on in a wartime zone very well at all. This was expressed through his gaze in frame two where he was looking stressfully into the scope of his gun. The viewer can feel the emotional stress presented in Kyle’s eyes. Most post-war veterans struggle to actually leave the war behind them. Any sudden movement or loud noise may trigger old memories or flashbacks of war for some people. This post-traumatic stress disorder is a part of Chris Kyle’s life when he returns to the States from his fourth tour in Iraq.  When he returns home, anything he says or does reminds him of Iraq and it begins to affect his home life and relationships. This was all led up to by the previous scenes that show the extreme weight put on militants during a time of war, and even after the war is over. The monochromatic color scheme, and camera angles making Kyle the focus of the frame, are two ways the director uses filmic language to get the viewer thinking about what is going on inside his head. 

All of the filmic language shown in this movie helped present the reality that militants put their lives on the line daily to serve the country, with unavoidable consequences that follow. The monochromatic colors of war, different camera angles used, the gaze of the characters, and the severity of the environment shown are all used in this film to depict the extreme emotional, physical, and psychological stress put on militants during a time of war. 
