Act of Valor is either the most interesting unsuccessful experiment in the history of movies or the most true to life action film ever conceived. The gimmick here, heavily promoted in both print and TV ads, is that the cast is mostly made of real Navy SEALs using real ammunition to bring a legitimate level of authenticity and truth to the standard military thriller. Directors Mike "Mouse" McCoy and Scott Waugh (also known by the nonsensical name 'The Bandito Brothers') even step forward to break the fourth wall and discuss the reasons behind the aesthetic decision. In an unusual move, they provide a prologue which defends the choice, argues for its realism, and suggests that no mere actor could have done better. Turns out, it's as much an excuse as it is a justification, since this is one lax piece of propaganda.
Clearly aimed at advancing recruitment, the simple story revolves around an explosion at a Philippines private school. The blast kills the US ambassador (and a bunch of innocent kids) and this rankles the higher-ups in Washington. Soon, our cardboard cutout group of specialized soldiers are hitting the international theater, looking to rescue secreted CIA agent Morales (Roselyn Sanchez) from the evil clutches of smug drug and arms dealer Christo (Alex Veadov). Seems our bad guy is in cahoots with an insane terrorist (Jason Cottle) who plans on using suicide bombers, decked out in vests containing undetectable ceramic bead explosives, to take out various targets in the U. S. of A. -- and Ms. Morales has the Intel we need to stop them. So it's one rescue mission after another as the SEALs try to stop a series of tragedies from befalling our nation.
With their role in the death of Osama Bin Laden still part of the political discussion, the producers of Act of Valor couldn't ask for more positive pre-word of mouth for their oddball little movie. Too bad then that they didn't ask for a better final product. The attempt to merge documentary fact with silver screen fiction is interesting, if not completely successful or satisfying. McCoy and Waugh are so in love with the concept they're trying to fit into the standard genre formulas that they forget to include the other necessary elements -- like suspense, excitement, or narrative logic. Outside of a jingoistic patriotism and a basic love for human life, there is no invested audience interest here.In addition, real Navy SEALs don't follow the carefully choreographed mandates of a stunt coordinator. Therefore, the various firefight set-pieces here are scattered and indecipherable. We never know who is shooting at who or where the next threat is coming from. Even the incorporation of the occasional video game scope and crosshair perspective and shaky-cam immersion don't clear things up. The randomness of the violence and our inability to get a handle on it hampers Act of Valor. We don't expect a deadly dance filled with slo-mo bullet ballets, but a bow to the basics of the medium wouldn't hurt, either.
All of which argues for a far more effective approach to this kind of material. Docs like Restrepo use the imbedded reporter format to find the truth in military service, while a true fiction film can work the various angles of storytelling and style to turn the extraordinary into the epic. There is no doubting the sacrifice of our soldiers and we are a better, more benevolent people because of their service. Act of Valor has its heart in the right place. Sadly, everything else it does plays like an inadvertent insult to those it wants to champion.
