Gritty, dark and raw, Act of Valor manages to combine intense action, great special effects and a pretty good, if small, story without ever resorting to acting. The movie uses real life Navy SEALs, instead of actors, to achieve a realism seldom seen in modern day film. Unfortunately for many in the audience, mostly critics, Act of Valor lacks the dramatic effect actors bring to a film. I don’t agree. In Act of Valor, the dramatic effect comes from the battle scenes, not in some contrived interpersonal crisis. The director of Valor eliminates much of the phony sympathy and artificial empathy present in most modern war films in favor of pure action. Make no mistake, Act of Valor is a real take on war and the violence therein.

The plot is simple: a Chechen Islamic terrorist named Abu Shabal (Jason Cottle) plans to bring violence to the United States in the form of suicide bombers. Shabal, with the help of his boyhood friend Christo (Alex Veadov), a Jewish international drug smuggler, get access to bomb vests loaded with ceramic ball bearings undetectable in metal detectors.   They are to cross the border with Mexico bringing terror in their wake. The plan is to set off the vests in crowded tourist sites and stadiums to maximize the effect the devastation. Shabal assumes the brutal attacks will destroy the American economy, traumatize the populace and, presumably, cause a backlash that will mobilize the Muslim world. Yes, not terribly original but still effective. The job of the Navy SEALs: track them down and stop Shabal and his bombers (using extreme force if necessary).

What makes Act of Valor work is its dependence on intense action and extreme violence. I think we all could have done without the uninspired dialogue, the poorly delivered emotional content and contrived empathy, exactly what you’d expect from non-actors. Of course it’s what the audience expected. The whole point of the movie, and it was all over the media, we wanted “navy SEALs, not actors.” The general public likes the film the vast majority of critics do not. Act of Valor is exactly “as advertised.”

The critics though crawled up on their pedestals and rained down scorn: paraphrasing some, “It’s not a movie,” or “it’s a recruiting film.” No! Act of Valor is an attempt to let real Navy Seals tell their own story in their own way. Unfortunately the filmmakers included too much human interest for amateurs to handle. Please, if you attend the film and I think you should, go for the action, go for the riveting gunboat scene or go to see what it looks like for real Navy SEALs to be in a firefight. Don’t go if you want to see an emotional sob fest.

Lastly, Act of Valor is by no means a recruiting film. An Officer and a Gentleman,Top Gun even Patton inspired me, Act of Valor scared the hell out of me. There was no exaggeration of glory, excitement or even beautiful women. Sadly lacking were the great cars, motorcycles and Meg Ryan, Debra Winger or Kelly McGillis.  In fact, the SEALs were shown with little personal control, far away from their families, for months at a time, and in constant danger. Not my idea of a recruiting film.

I strongly recommend Act of Valor for action junkies, war movie fanatics and the strong of stomach, all else BEWARE!!!

Rating 3.5 stars out of 5!