American Sniper ending explained: How different is it from the real story?

American Sniper is a biographical war drama film helmed by Clint Eastwood, while Jason Hall wrote the screenplay. Adapted from the namesake autobiographical book, it chronicles the life of US Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle. The film was released on December 25, 2014. Here's the official synopsis:

Navy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle's pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home with his family after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind.

So let us explore the film's ending and how the story was different from the real one. The film’s ending stays mostly true to real events, with minor fictionalized moments for dramatic storytelling.

What is the plot of American Sniper?

A still from American Sniper | Image via Warner Bros. YouTube

American Sniper is based on the life of US Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, who had served in the Iraq War and was bestowed with several awards, including a Silver Star and three Bronze Star medals.

In 2009, he was discharged from his duty honorably and eventually published his namesake memoir. In the year 2013, Kyle was killed Eddie Ray Routh at a shooting range. Eddie was eventually found to be suffering from PTSD. Kyle was married to Taya Studebaker.

In the film, we see his same journey along with his PTSD that affects his personal life.

How did American Sniper end?

Towards the end of American Sniper, Kyle returned from one of his tours, which he said would be his last before he takes a step back. Later on, Kyle nearly kills his pet dog during a house party after he believes that it's attacking his young son. He then has to visit a psychiatrist and is told about his PTSD situation. The sniper explains that he only regrets the moments when he could not save his people.

As per the psychiatrist's suggestions, Kyle works with war veterans at a hospital, which improves his mood and relationship with his family. In the end scene, Chris tells his wife Taya that he is going to a shooting range and says goodbye to his family. The film then cuts to black, and the text reads, 'Chris Kyle was killed that day by a veteran he was trying to help.' The ending sticks true to the real events around the death of Kyle, and the makers keep it off-screen.

The film does not showcase Kyle's death as per Taya's request. Jason Hall told the New York Daily News in 2018:

“Five days after Chris was murdered, [Taya] called and said, ‘This is going to be how my children remember their father, so I want you to get right.' In the end, I think we felt that this was a film about Chris’ life and not about his death. I didn’t want it to be the thing that was hanging over [his children's] heads for the very rest of their lives as the film that showed their father getting shot."

In February 2013, Chris Kyle visited a shooting range in Texas with his friend Chad Littlefield. Eddie Ray Routh, who himself was a veteran, murdered both of them.

As shown in the film, in his last years, Kyle spent time with veterans at a hospital to improve his situation. Routh's mother had asked Kyle to help her son. After killing the two, Routh went to his sister's house and confessed to his crimes. He was eventually given a life prison sentence.

Did you like American Sniper's ending?