Movie Review: Act of Valor

2 stars

Tale of Navy SEALS sheds light on the life of a soldier.

Rating: R
Stars: Alex Veadov, Roselyn Sanchez, Nestor Serrano

What’s the story?
A team of Navy SEALS (United States Navy's Sea, Air, and Land Teams) embarks on a mission to rescue a captured CIA agent during an ever growing war on terrorism. The actors themselves are real life SEALs, and the story fictionalizes true events while capturing the essence of their heart-wrenching reality. 

Why see it?
This is a rare opportunity to see exactly how the men in these operations work together and react to certain situations. The audience gets a real sense of how the SEALS create a brotherhood. The action scenes are captivating and will have you on the edge of your seat. It is also rare to see a film where the actors are real people in the same circumstances as the characters. One of the most difficult but engaging moments in the movie is seeing the emotion from the families as they say goodbye to their loved ones – a reminder of the sacrifice taken by the SEALS and their families.

Problems?
There is constant use of a perspective in which you, the viewer, are in the position of the soldier holding the gun. The premise proves very reminiscent of video games like Call of Duty, which, overall, proves to be a distraction and ends up cheapening the experience. Also, the amount of violence and combat scenes far outweigh the amount of character development and storyline. The premise is often predictable and you don’t get to know the characters well enough to get emotionally attached.

All in all:
A unique take on a war film.