Movie Review - Act of Valor

I was standing in line at the theater today and an off-duty Marine was contemplating going into a movie 15 minutes after it started. I asked if he was going to see Act of Valor and he said yes. He asked if it was good. On this Oscars night, I had to reply, it is ACTION. It is the action of the Naval Special Warfare community. I don't think it will win any Academy Awards for acting, but viewers will see what special operations looks like.

This is Top Gun for the Naval Special Warfare community. You will see HALO parachute jumps, underwater infiltration and riverine combat. You will see snipers, door to door close quarters combat and a hostage rescue. Typically, one would think that the SEAL team on a deployment off the West Coast wouldn't see that much action, but, well it is a movie.

This movie is special not because of the great acting or plot, but rather the knowledge that the characters are indeed real and the military capabilities you are viewing are what the Navy brings to a fight.

There are several hold-your-breath moments, perhaps the most notable is an ex-filtration of a SEAL team using a small boat unloading on some bad guys with miniguns. As you watch the scene, realize that this scene used live rounds.

The Coastie in me felt cautious about the SEAL boats blasting full bore into unknown rivers and streams at high rates of speed. One underwater tree trunk and "game over man." My sources tell me that the boats are very shallow draft and use jet drives (so no propellers). Good thing I'm not driving it, otherwise the ex-fil would be late.So, if you are a water-person, suspend that disbelief.

In sum, go see the show and be proud that America has such brave warriors who, usually, go unseen and unheralded.

The trailer gives you a little glimpse of a two hour adventure.

Comments

[Walt Harvey]

Thanks Mark, great review! We agree whole heartedly! We saw it Friday when it opened and then saw it again yesterday. We didn't go to a movie theater at all last year and then we go twice in three days! Knowing that we have such highly trained and skilled men and women in our armed forces does make us proud to be Americans!
And thank you for your service too!
Aloha, Walt & Arla