Sacrifice, Bravery, real warfare, and a cast of real heroes…Act of Valor has it all.
This is one of the few war films to feature real-life navy seals and practical action, all with the working goal of creating the ultimate experience for audiences. The film didn’t receive the best reviews, however, the film certainly has strengths. Let’s discuss.
Next year will mark the 10th anniversary of the war film, Act of Valor. This being Scott Waugh’s directorial feature, which officially transitioned him from working in stunts to a director, with the additional help of co-director Mike McCoy and the script being written by 300’s writer Kurt Johnstad.
Real- Action
The film’s main strengths are the action sequences. They use real-life navy seals with real ammunition. The camera work is well choreographed and shows audiences camera angles to a battle scene that would be very hard to capture. Scott Waugh understands action scenes because he worked in stunts. This creative perspective to action really gave the action scenes a unique visual lens.
Viewing this video helps to get the headspace of knowing what to expect from the film. It locks you in the war experience, with real bullets and vehicles. The film includes a plot that is very generic and Hollywoodized, alongside lines of dialogue and performances that feel a bit wooden.
However, if you know what you are getting and really understand what the film is trying to be, then you can get a lot out of the film. You leave the film feeling a strong admiration for all the personal serving the military and it’s that theme that Scott Waugh was really interested in showing.
We have seen a plot like this go down before, but the action is realistic enough and shot well enough to get you through the other side when the plot is establishing itself amongst the viewer. Consider it a film that bridges that gap between documentary and feature film release, that’s the sweet spot.
It’s hard to produce a film that differentiates itself from other war films, Act of Valor may have achieved that with its authenticity.
Streaming
The film is streaming on Netflix UK and on Amazon Prime UK for the price of 2.49 to rent.
Author Bio
Sam is a content writer. He loves all elements connected with film and writes with passion, always. You can find him on Linkedin, where you will be able to read more articles. When he is not writing, you can find him practicing football
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