It's my off and i finally got the chance to watch this movie and being a Mil-Sim Enthusiat myself, this is what I can say:
Quick Impressions:
It’s a good thing I never spent my childhood dreaming of becoming a Navy SEAL because I have about as much chance of becoming an elephant seal. I’m far too anxious for stress-fraught career like Navy SEAL. My delicate psychiatric state aside, I’m also hopelessly clumsy, born out of shape, and literally physically unable to make my bed with properly neat corners. (I’ve been told that’s a requirement for military service.) Given my own unsuitable nature, it’s somewhat shocking to learn that I have a number of relatives in the military, including my late Grandfather Fausto Reyes Flores, who was an Army Techincal Sergeant during the 2nd World War.
I’m not a total failure, though. I did appear in several high school plays, leading me to the conclusion that I don’t have the chops to act professionally, either. That is the one thing I have in common with the military men who appeared in Act of Valor.
Of course, most of them aren’t very good actors. They’re Navy SEALs! Do they have to do everything? I’m shocked that I’ve seen such rancor directed toward their performances. (I never read other reviews until I’ve written my own, but I can’t always help seeing blurbs.) When the movie transparently advertises itself as a dramatization of the acts of Navy SEALs, performed by actual Navy SEALs, doesn’t that tell you what kind of acting to expect? Who has a resume that reads, “Spent fourteen years as an active duty Navy SEAL, played Hamlet seven times at the Globe, danced for a decade with the Bolshoi ballet, current CEO of the Walt Disney Company, cookbook author, and NICU nurse.” I mean, good grief!
I already know what their detractors will reply. “But they’re in a movie! People in a movie are supposed to act. That’s what movies are all about.” To that I say, “You obviously don’t go to many movies.” Most movies that open wide and make tons of money are less about acting than about blowing stuff up. And lots of stuff blows up in this movie—even a couple of people. It’s very exciting.
Online, the phrase that seems to come up over and over again describing this film is “glorified recruitment video.” That’s exactly right. It’s a big budget, feature length recruitment video. But why would anyone imagine that’s not entertainment?
Unlike the younger me, my twelve-year-old son does dream about a future in the military, and I promise you that no matter what he is doing—i.e. zoning out in his own little world, playing a game, talking and in the middle of a sentence—if a recruitment commercial for the U.S. military appears on a movie or TV screen, his head whips around like that, and he is immediately fascinated and completely engrossed. I’m sure he would love Act of Valor.
The Good:
The movie is consistently entertaining, and this is coming from someone who by far prefers verbal intellectual stimulation to constant visual over-stimulation. I’ve never been a fan of sustained, mindless action. (Well, that’s a lie. I always love an opportunity to get lost in thought and eat popcorn.) I’m not exaggerating when I say that I cannot follow mindless action. Blow up enough stuff as you move the camera faster and faster and faster, and I will literally have no idea what on earth is happening. To avoid a total mental breakdown while watching it on my laptop, I usually disengage and zone out.
Act of Valor, though, doesn’t feature any mindless violence. In fact, the operations the SEALs engage in are all highly calculated, perfectly timed, and excitingly complex.
Despite what people may tell you, this movie is not at all like most first-person shooter video games (at least not like single-player versions played by average people). Nobody runs into a room and methodically clears it from end to end by shooting everybody in sight. The unit acts as a team, and stealth, planning, tech, and precision play just as much a role as personal strength, courage, and shooting prowess. (Although, I will say, they have some pretty impressive weapons at their disposal.)
The action is not mindless at all. It’s all happening for a purpose, and even I got a visceral thrill while watching it.
Best Action Sequence:
The extraction of the CIA operative is by far the best part of the film. More than a single scene, it’s quite a lengthy segment of the movie. But it’s so taut, suspenseful, enthralling, surprising, and thrilling that it seems to pass in the blink of an eye. As the segment drew to a racing close, I realized that I’d been squeezing my hand so tightly the entire time.
That part of the movie has such conspicuous excellence that I think they should have released it independently as a short film. It could easily stand on its own, and it’s far better than the rest of the movie.
Best Surprise:
Maybe to someone more familiar with military tactics, this wouldn’t have come as a surprise, but during the extraction of the CIA operative, I gasped in visceral delight as a body fell into the water without a splash.
Funniest Moment:
The best actor in this movie was the Senior, and I would imagine that if his actual job involves interrogating international criminals like he does in the movie, then he has quite a bit of theatrical experience. That man has amazing charisma, and in his scene opposite “Cristo” he’s both eerily amusing and terrifying.
On second thought, it’s not that he’s exactly funny, but he reminded me vaguely of the guy in "The Hunt for Red October" who asks, “You’ve lost another submarine?” (And that definitely cracked me up back when I was ten and insisted on going to see the movie with my grandparents. Since I didn’t know what defect meant as a verb, this and Sam Neil saying he “would have liked to have seen Montana” were by far the highlights of that film for me.)
Scenes That Made Me Wish I Were a Navy SEAL:
None of them.
Scenes That Made Me Glad I’m not Being Pursued by Navy SEALs:
All of them.
The Negatives:
The story is contrived, which would be fine if it were well acted. but, of course; it is not. I’m not talking about the story motivating all the missions. That’s just fine. (It’s contrived, too, of course, but the enacting of the missions is fascinating, suspenseful, sometimes breathtaking to watch.) I’m talking about the human story about the interpersonal relationships of the SEALs and their families.
To be fair to the SEALs, it’s not just the acting that’s subpar here. The script is very poorly written (in this aspect), kind of hokey, and far too predictable. You always hear people complaining about Oscar baiting art films with their over-the-top tactics designed to manipulate the Academy. Act of Valor is just the same; except it’s trying to manipulate a different audience.
To be clear, I’m not trying to diminish the achievements of the SEALs whose actual work provided the factual basis for this fictionalized dramatization. I’m just saying that the movie is not cinematically effective in this respect. If you find yourself weeping and applauding at the end, you’re probably motivated either by the memory of the real-life bravery of a friend or family member or by the memory of your own painful experiences. Or maybe you’re just a patriot who believes that acts of valor transcend drama, elevating Act of Valor from an imperfect movie to a moving tribute to real men and women who do protect and serve yours or my country.
The final scenes of the movie should have evoked tears, but they didn’t in me. It was just a case of poor cinematic execution. The action scenes feel real. To say that the interpersonal scenes do not is a huge and exceptionally gracious understatement.
Also, there were moments (especially toward the end) that got a little too explosive for my tastes. But keep in mind that if you aren’t that engrossed by what’s happening on screen, you’re free to improve the experience for yourself as I did. Here are some good ideas for keeping your intellect occupied:
1) Meditate on Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and wonder if you’re living your life properly. (I actually think the movie wants you to do that.)
2) Wish you still taught a rhetoric class so that you could make up an activity that involved viewing both Act of Valor and A Better Life.
3) Improve the dramatic, character-driven moments for yourself by substituting various superstars of old Hollywood for the current performers. (Warning: With some star combinations, this may turn the film into a screwball comedy.)
Appropriate Viewing for Children?
This is rated R for a reason, but I still think that my twelve-year-old son would have enjoyed it. He probably wouldn't have found it one bit scary. Also, it seems designed to incite paranoia. Y'know the kind that gives you a feeling that terrorist could be anywhere near planning an imminent attack on innocent civilians.
You probably shouldn't take children to this movie. I'd also avoid taking adults who are:
A) mentally unstable or
B) outspoken and of a critical bent.
Overall:
Visceral is the perfect word to describe the positive impact of this movie. Watching the SEALs work often provides a palpable (and tingly!) visceral thrill. Taken on its own terms, the movie is quite enjoyable. Is it trying to manipulate the audience? Of course! But all movies are doing that. This one is just doing it badly, so its manipulative nature is more conspicuous. That’s no reason not to see it. (If it were directed by Micheal Bay, it would probably get an Oscar nomination next year!)
The action is exciting, and while the voice-over narration is ineffective dramatically, it does pose some provocative questions. For these reasons, Act of Valor is definitely a stimulating view. Give it a try. **peace out!**
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