Kit Up contributors Richard Kilgore and Slim (the Mad Duo) have a review of Act of Valor on their blog, if you’re interested. Apparently they attended an advanced screening out in LA. Warning: it’s done in their typically profane and politically incorrect 
fashion. One way or the other, post your opinions here once you’ve seen the movie. Kit Up! wants to hear what you think.
Under The Radar provides an excellent review as well, if you would be so kind as to check it out. They bring up some excellent points vis a vis how the movie turned out. It reaches the same conclusion as that of the Duo, albeit in an entirely different way.
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{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
I got to see the movie last week as an advanced screening at WSU. It was fan F#$king tastic. I do not think there was a dry eye in the room. Everything was spot on. You could tell that they were not professional actors with some of the dialog but you could tell they were professional ********. hats off to them and those like them, damn few
that is professional ******* just so every one knows
bad a@#
bad ***??
I really hate ****** mature language filters!
Sorry I don’t watch previews or read reviews to movies I want to see until after the fact. Let’s just say I hate spoilers.
This movie was outstanding, in my top 3 of all time if not in competition with my #1. I feel like this movie, while having very intense and realistic action scenes, acts and feels more like a memorial to the Seal teams and the special forces community. For all they do that the public does not know, they get no recognition for their actions and I feel like this movie gives a glimpse into the sacrifices that the SF community makes on a regular basis. Overall a great movie, very humbling, and I hope people see it as a tribute to them rather than just another action flick.
There is only one SF….. But many SOF’s
Pretty boring and standard im my opinion. Also some of the stuff was off, especially them using the visible lasers on their PEQ-15′s. But i would put that on hollywood trying to make a show.
I saw a preview with my brother in Milwaukee last week. I’m a big fan of overblown military action movies, but Act of Valor didn’t come off as a big budget Hollywood film. I think there were scenes that were more cinematic than realistic, but they were few enough that the film maintained its integrity. Some of the acting – the intimate scenes between brothers and family – sometimes felt wooden, but the briefings and communications between teammates felt especially genuine and natural. Overall I really enjoyed the tone and execution of the film. I wish more movies would take this route. However; I also think it will put fewer people in the seats than if it were full of explosions and witty banter, and devoid of personality.
It was a good, solid film with a genuine feel to it, though the story was a bit fragmented and muddied. I’d recommend it, and will likely see it again when it’s released.
Saw it. Solid flick. Strongly recommended. Four Ninjas
The SEALs were very unrealistic though. They were modest, soft spoken and down to earth.
Excellent equipment representation. They used Crye Gen III MC & AOR I, M4s running eotech & PEQ15s. There was one scene with a spectre on an M4. The amphib extraction was legendary (minigun heaven). I also liked that they weren’t full auto “rock-n-roll”. Nice realism touch. An awful lot of headshots though.
The dialogue was a little choppy but it didn’t distract me and the acting was better than Starship Troopers. If I want drama I buy tickets to “Eat, Pray, Love”.
See it. You won’t be disaapointed. The two hours will go fast. Definite DVD buy for me.
This was a “real” movie, as movies go. It wasn’t a Navy Seals, Sniper, The Unit or Platoon. Outside of documentaries like Restrepo and NatGeo’s Inside the Green Berets, we mere mortals don’t have a glimpse into what goes on. My opinion is that, even with the poor acting of non-actors, it portrayed what they and others in the SF community do, and it did that well. It was sort of like a **** in the interpersonal communication and acting departments. The only noticeable equipment ‘error,’ was the visible laser, but that most likely was chosen for the film effect, as it wouldn’t have shown up well in the limited NV filming of that scene. At least the one Aimpoint I noticed wasn’t mounted reversed like in Tears of the Sun. I wouldn’t call this a film for the ‘ninjas’ out there, but they will surely enjoy it.
I fell in love with the SpecterDR the Rangers and SF were using. I had to buy me one !!!!!!!! Its good they added it to the sopmod kit, it had some problems with gen1 versions but there Gen 3 is amazing. Glad our best get to use good gear hooah.
@majrod: there are so many different scales out there so I was wondering, four out how many ninjas? 4 of 4, 4 of 5, 4 of…
4 of 5 just like the whole “star” thing the dilletente movie critics use.
I thought I saw a few MK18′s in a couple of scenes. Noticeably absent was the Tuetonic Turd, the 416, and thank goodness for that. I don’t know if I could take the HKool-aid drinkers swarming the theater and mastubating in their seats.
No SCARs either.
maybe NSWC didn’t want to spare the SCARS or 416′s for a movie ;)
BTW folks read the mad duo’s review. I snorted, laughed and broke wind it was so funny.
Killer flick. Literally. What these guys do for our country and each other can never be repaid. Thanks.
From the time when Kennedy called to duty the UDT units of Navy Frogmen,to Admiral Shapiro’s Raiders,and to the present of Admiral”s McCraven and Maguire in Coronado.This Elite Ynit has come to it’s country’s Calls ,Time & Time again.So after the press reporting how many have just given their lives recently,I think it doesn’t matter what’s Hollywood,and what’s feezable.Just to watch,should give the people of our great Country a REAL adrenaline rush.Not to say of the anguish their loved ones go through every day.Hoo Yah,Fahcince
Please stay and watch all of the end credits. It is more than worth the few minutes of your time.
Just got back from seeing it.
I’d give it 3.5 / 5. The problem with the dialogue wasn’t so much the lines themselves, but the delivery. Everything seemed to be said with the attitude that the camera was right there, not in the same honest, from the hip way that it was in Black Hawk Down.
Action was pretty good. Totally silly amount of headshots. The blood was also CGIed in a lot of scenes, giving it a silly look. I’d also say it wasn’t gory enough, to be honest. Black Hawk Down really let you see the grit and taste the blood in your teeth, so to speak. AoV seemed very sanitized, with the amount of action on the screen in a lot of scenes.
Camera work was a mixed bag. I liked a lot of the first person viewpoints with the heavy breathing and in the **** perspective. A lot of shots were done in that third person shakeycam perspective that I thought ruined the second Bourne movie. One scene actually combined that perspective with a ton of darkness, to the point where I missed a character getting hit until someone called it in on a radio.
Decent movie, good attitude of respect for the SEALs. Still feel that Black Hawk Down was a better case study of military action, although some may say that it’s apples to oranges.
Meh. I have to say, I don’t blame the SEALS in it, but the script was pretty mediocre and the camera work not so hot in some of the scenes. There also seemed to be odd continuity errors with the M4′s sometimes having aimpoints and sometimes have Eotechs. The SEALS themselves did an OK job of acting — but I wondered if they kept thinking “who wrote this ****?” while saying the lines. I think if they had a better director, they would have done a better acting job too. I’d say 2.5 out of 4 stars. Worth seeing as an action movie but I expected a bit more.
From the linked article, they filmed the scenes as they could during the various training evolutions, out of order and as they would have otherwise come up even if they hadn’t been making a movie. Given that they had to work with the training exercises at hand to splice their movie together, I’d give them some slack on the continuity errors with the weapon kit out.
The movie was about what I expected and considering what it is I would give it four out of five stars. I found the interrogation scene on the yacht to be the most interesting to watch. No action and no cool gear but possibly the best scene in the whole movie.
Sadly, I will not be taking my kids or nephews to see it because Regal Cinemas in Manassas, VA decided that including this (below link) commercial in the previews would be a good idea.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2093071/Jennifer-Love-Hewitt-puts-raunchy-display-music-trailer-The-Client-List.html
“Sorry ****** meter is full”
I think you meant “filter”.
Great review by the duo, this is about the “acts” not actors and directors- but I can’t comment yet…and will probably miss the cinema release unless its still out there in a month(I f***ing hope so) when I get feet dry again. Just relieved it ain’t another “Navy SEALS”….
I think the best thing about the movie is the silence when they infil, kick ***, and haul ***. Everyone knows what to do with no bs.
Overall I thought the movie was good. It could have been better if they had a “big” director and more funds. The equipment, uniforms, and weapons were real enough. I saw a few mag changes during the movie as well (unlike some movies were the M4 fires 1,000 rounds without reloading). I think the red lasers on the M4s is just for show. I thought the tribute at the end of the movie was well done. I think the public needs to know how many SEALs have died since 9/11. I think that’s when it hits home when you see all their names at the end. Also, it focuses on lost and sacrifices that they make which applies to anyone in the military.
I thought Charlie Sheen’s version was better and more realistic, you know, tactically.
I couldn’t help compare it to Charlie Sheen’s version either. Short of the boat drop and miniguns Charlie’s was better. Act of V was good, 4 out of 5. As to acting the only part I had a problem with was where Chief is shot up bad loosing consciousness yet has fully recovered in time for the funneral. Not realistic but good for effect. I’m a former USAF Sgt and medic, and a Respiratory Therapist now by trade. Seen a lot of gun shots and trauma. If our press and both political parties had honored our guys this movie wouldn’t have been needed. “On behalf of a grateful nation” seems less so these days. On behalf of all who served, the 9-10% of the population, thank you all for loving our freedom and Constitution, and standing up for it.
I enjoyed this movie. I did notice the visible lasers and couple other minor points, as well as the somewhat canned dialogue. But it was so awesome to see these guys literally traipsing all over the planet, HALOing, hitching rides on submarines, and so on. Their deadly silence while approaching their target. Above all their flawlessly covering and communicating and moving together as a team, as one, really. This is what separates a professional force from a band of guerrillas, and Special Ops guys take that unity of intention and action to its highest level. That’s what passed through my mind when the terrorist and SEAL had their shoot out. The SEAL was hit several times and starting to black out. Both men ran out of ammo. The difference was, the SEAL had another SEAL at his back, just in time.
Also, at the beginning of the credits they rolled the names of all the SEALs who’ve laid down their lives since 9/11. They scrolled them too fast. By my hasty count it was 60. Stick around to see it.