Review of Act of Valor (2012) by Jeffrey D — 14 Jul 2012

Here's the thing, I can't critique this movie over it's acting or lack of acting because the characters are all played by active duty Navy SEALs. Of course they're not going to be able to act like Christian Bale and Tom Hanks, they defend our country for a living. However, I will critique it on how it is filmed, because that was the director's decision. I wasn't a fan of all of the first-person scenes, it kind of took me out of the experience. The plot seemed lifted out of a dozen other movies or television shows, but that's OK for this kind of movie.

The one thing everyone remembers is the action. Shooting with live ammunition really brings a new dimension to the film and adds a layer of authenticity to it. The first rescue mission in particular is memorable. My biggest complaint however, is how forgettable this movie is. I watched some of the promo materials after the film where they showed clips from the movie, and besides the rescue scenes, it all kind of ran together. That's not a bad thing, but it doesn't make a memorable movie-going experience. I do appreciate it for what it is, but for me, it acts best as a poster for the military and an eye-opening look into how things work, not as a stand-alone action movie.