“Act of Valor” recently released to rather negative reviews — earning a dismal 29 percent on Rotten Tomatos — something some may consider unfair for a decently entertaining film. In “Act of Valor,” a team of Navy SEALs embarks on a mission to free a captured CIA agent, later leading it on a race against time to hunt down terrorists planning to attack America on the home front.
One of the biggest complaints other reviewers had was the acting. However, when considering the majority of the actors are trained Navy SEALs, not trained actors, their stiffness is acceptable. In fact, it could be argued the stiffness is simply an authentic take on how these real soldiers would handle the situation, rather than a more viewer-pleasing but potentially unrealistic acting approach. Only one SEAL was painfully awkward to watch and thankfully he did not have much screen time.
Likewise, the story and dialogue are not award-winning by any stretch, following many cliché military / action-film subplots and themes. Having said that, they aren’t terrible either. Frankly, when going to see a movie such as “Act of Valor,” moviegoers aren’t looking for a theatrical masterpiece of storytelling or an Oscar-stealing portrayal on the part of the actors. Viewers investing time in “Act of Valor” are looking for great action and special effects, something the movie definitely delivered upon.
The SEALs fight in a variety of locals ranging from the Mexican border to the swamps of South America, taking part in brutal all-out gun battles as well as a covert extraction. The SEALs add a level of authenticity to these action scenes that amps up the excitement. Between suicide bombers, Gatling guns ripping cars to shreds and rockets blowing up the enemy vehicles there is certainly no shortage of explosions, either.
For “Act of Valor,” the bottom line is this: it won’t blow audiences away. Will it entertain? For a fan of shooting and explosions, definitely. Thrifty cinema enthusiasts may want to wait until it circulates to less expensive theaters, however, as paying full price is a bit of an act of valor in itself.
