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| Alex Veadov stars in Act of Valor |
Damn Few, Damn Right!
What’s Good: Relativity Media’s Act of Valor takes a unique approach to action filmmaking with the inclusion of actual active-duty U.S. Navy Seals in addition to/place of Hollywood actors. The Seals lend an undeniable sense of authenticity in both action and lingo... the former being of top quality. FPS (First-Person Shooter) perspectives and really cool, night-time parachute drops make up for relative holes in acting and story. Camaraderie never looked so good.
What’s Not: The drawback to using real Navy Seals is obvious: These guys aren’t actors, and it shows. That, in addition to the film’s thinly veiled PR/recruiting pitch are bound to elicit some negative reaction.
Special Kudos: I’m not the easiest guy to touch, but I found myself getting choked up on more than one occasion. The recital of Tecumseh’s Live Your Life poem was particularly moving.
They Said It: ‘You live your life by a code; It's your shore line... It's what guides you home. And trust me, you're always trying to get home.’
What’s the Grade? I’ve yet to see a military film that didn’t have some sort of angle, so why hold that against Act of Valor? When I critique a movie, I ask “Was I entertained?” This film entertains and then some. It’s not Citizen Kane, but if action is your thing... you won’t go home disappointed.
Grade: B
