Is American Sniper based on a true story?

Question

Is American Sniper based on a true story?

2 Answers

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Answer 1

Yes, American Sniper is based on the true story of Chris Kyle - a former cowboy who is, to date, the most accurate and lethal marksman in US military history.

The film is directed by acclaimed actor and director Clint Eastwood.

Chris Kyle's kill count is officially the highest ever recorded (and unofficially he claimed to have killed many more):

160 confirmed kills

255 probable kills

Chris Kyle served in Iraq 4 times and won numerous awards and medals for his bravery. Military intelligence suggests enemy forces even put a $20,000 bounty on his head!

It could be considered kind of ironic then, that Chris didn't die in combat... But rather at a shooting range in Texas, at the hands of a fellow US soldier who was apparently suffering from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

Answer 2

Yes, American Sniper is a true story. It is based on the life of Chris Kyle (8th April 1974 - 2nd February 2013), a US Navy Seal, often regarded as the most lethal sniper in the history of Naval combat. The title comes from Kyle's own autobiography "American Sniper: The autobiography of the most lethal sniper in US Military History".

The movie is directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Bradley Cooper as Kyle. It has received good critical and popular response, with a Metascore of 73/100, and an IMDb score of 7.8.

Kyle, from Odessa, Texas, joined the Navy in 1999, and served four tours in the Iraq War, receiving several military commendations.

There is no "proof" as such that he was the best sniper in US history, although his (unofficial) stats speak for themselves:

160 confirmed kills out of 225 probable kills.

Here's a trailer from the movie: