External Reviews Act of Valor was scheduled to be released on February 17, 2012 in the U.S. to coincide with Presidents' Day,[5] but was pushed back to February 24, 2012. "[16] Metacritic assigned the film an average score of 40 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". First of all it features the Navy SEALs some of w… MilitaryLeak is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I had the sense that many of the people around me in the crowded theater were submariners and their families. For anyone who is a sucker for a submarine movie - you can count me in - the thriller "Act of Valor" is a sure bet. And really, through most of the movie, while watching the very brave SEALs in action, shooting real ammunition from real guns, you wonder what made them volunteer in the first place. Christo is based on Viktor Bout, a notorious Russian billionaire currently awaiting trial in the US for black market arms dealing. Edit. The combatant-craft crewman … [6], For the Navy, the film is an initiative to recruit SEALs and SWCC. Mostly the offscreen comments were changed but there are also five altered scenes resulting in a time difference of almost 1 minute between both versions. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 26% based on 137 reviews, with an average rating of 4.54/10. | The song was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. When the movie had its premier in Hollywood, the SEALs were there. Hundreds attend vineyard concert in Stonington in violation of COVID-19 rules. [6] The production budget was estimated to be between $15 million and $18 million. Elsewhere in Costa Rica, two CIA operatives, Walter Ross (Nestor Serrano) and Lisa Morales (Roselyn Sánchez) meet to consolidate intelligence about their target, a drug smuggler named Mikhail "Christo" Troykovich. The site's critical consensus reads, "It's undeniably reverent of the real-life heroes in its cast, but Act of Valor lets them down with a clichéd script, stilted acting, and a jingoistic attitude that ignores the complexities of war. They are not named in the film's credits, however. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Christo and Shabal are found to be associates and that there is a plan to detonate vest bombs throughout the U.S., in order to cause panic and economic disruption with the goal to surpass that of the September 11 attacks. The seven Navy SEALs insert into the jungle via HALO and hold position outside the compound all night. © Copyright Military Leak 2020, All Rights Reserved. David: So, you see here, the submarine spends as little time on the surface as possible. The film grossed $81 million worldwide and was nominated at the 70th Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Song.[3]. Christo and Shabal, who are revealed to have been childhood friends, meet in Kyiv. This, we are often told by the politicians lobbying for all that new submarine development money, is the future of the submarine service in a defense psyche influenced by the war on terror. For those who worry about any propaganda aspects to the movie, I would point out that recruitment films don't usually end with a flag-draped coffin. "[20] Michael Rechtshaffen from The Hollywood Reporter had a similar opinion, stating, "Although the film has its undeniably immersive, convincing moments, the merging of dramatic re-creations and on-camera 'performances' proves less seamlessly executed than those masterfully coordinated land, sea and air missions. This is a crucial plot point as the information they recover from it leads them to the arms transfer in Somalia and Christo's yacht in the Pacific. Transcript of President-elect Joe Biden's victory speech, U.S. breaks record for daily new virus cases again as Biden vows to take action, World looks at how Biden will reshape U.S. policies after turbulent Trump era, Bestselling author Ann Hood on the literature of grief. At a moment of historic disruption and change with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the calls for social and racial justice, there's never been more of a need for the kind of local, independent and unbiased journalism that The Day produces. The remaining SEALs, comprising Rorke, Dave, Sonny and Weimy, stay in the U.S. in case the terrorists make it in. ECC swim meet comes to an abrupt halt due to positive COVID test, There are two different Mystics for coastal access, Trump's attacks on mail-in ballots rankle some military vets, Biden on cusp of presidency as count goes on, Advisers delicately try to prepare Trump for defeat, Trump chief of staff diagnosed with COVID-19, CT 33rd Senate District Debate - Sen. He is then shot several times and gravely wounded by Shabal, who is intercepted and killed by Sonny before he could execute Dave. Published March 09. The movie has drawn some political fire for its reliance on all that real equipment, like a nuclear submarine. Does Chief Dave lose his thumb in the final firefight? Don't miss it. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. And some defense experts say it gives away a few too many secrets. Are real Navy SEALs featured in this movie? They are also relevant in a developing realm of precision warfare. Presumably it must have been surgically re-attached. [25], Relativity Media released the film's soundtrack on February 21, 2012. You get to see real defense systems in use. In fact, they parachuted down to the red carpet on Sunset Boulevard. Are real Navy SEALs featured in this movie? The defense budget and expensive submarines will be on the line again. Why do they tell Agent Morales on the Swift boat that "It wasn't for nothing"? Eventually, the producers realized they were on to something and the project evolved into a feature film with some fictional incidents using the real SEALs. Are the villains based on real people? The film was a 2012 Teen Choice Awards[15] nominee for Choice Action Movie. | Edit, The SEALs not only rescued Morales but were able to recover the Blackberry phone belonging to Christo's henchman. Best of all, the movie, which features the exploits of a team of real Navy SEALs, shows a cool little mini sub piggybacked on the deck of the big sub. However, the gunfight alerts the enemy quick reaction force down the road, who drive toward the camp. I guess it's an apex of patriotism. He was killed in 2006 by an explosion during an arms deal, possibly assassinated by the Russian secret service. User Reviews They are not named in the film's credits, however. The mastermind, a Chechen terrorist named Abu Shabal (Jason Cottle), escapes to a training camp in Indonesia. Submariners are allergic to sunlight. There are various reasons why “Act of Valor”, the movie released on Feb. 24, 2012, is interesting from the military geek point of view. Claudia Puig from USA Today, for example, said the action in the film is "breathtaking," but gave the film an overall negative review, in which she wrote that "the soldiers' awkward line readings are glaring enough to distract from the potency of the story. Daily military news updates from defense technology, international news and more. Act of Valor is a 2012 American action film produced and directed by Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh, and written by Kurt Johnstad.It stars Alex Veadov, Roselyn Sánchez, Nestor Serrano and Emilio Rivera, as well as active duty U.S. Navy SEALs and U.S. Navy Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen.The film was released by Relativity Media on February 24, 2012. [12] The Navy held final cut privileges[5] in order to remove any frames to address security concerns and kept raw footage to use for real-life training and other purposes.[9]. Showing all 7 items Jump to: FAQs (7) Spoilers (0) FAQs. [12], The crew filmed at Navy training sites to provide realistic settings, such as a drug cartel base, a terrorist camp on an isolated island, and a smuggler's yacht. [17] [5] Hurlbut used an 18mm Zeiss ZE mounted on the SEALs' helmets to capture their point of view. Elsewhere, in the South Pacific, SEAL Team Four captures Christo and interrogate him. Shabal and eight others escape. There are also a few shots on the bridge. The 25mm Zeiss ZE was used to capture natural light coming through windows. The cameras followed the SEALs' planned out missions in the film. Act of Valor –an action film depicting a Navy SEAL mission and starring real active-duty SEALs–not only gives a rare glimpse into the elite fighting unit, but created a new style of filmmaking. The film ends with a dedication to every U.S. Navy SEAL and Special Warfare Combatant Crew (SWCC) killed in action since 9/11 along with a listing of their names as well as a photo montage of other everyday public servants (soldiers, police, firefighters, EMS). Lieutenant Rorke gives Dave a letter to give to his family in case he is killed. [10] Scenes were shot in San Diego at Blue Foot Bar and in a house in the North Park area. 2012 12:01AM | Updated March 09. Act of Valor (2012) FAQ Add to FAQ . Arriving at the factory, the SEALs and Mexican forces launch an assault there. And sure enough, in "Act of Valor," the SEALs aboard a nuclear submarine gear up in wet suits and off they go, secretly and quietly, aboard the mini sub. 2012 12:33AM. Not only do you feel you learned something, but you also want to know more. Sometimes there is the exact same dialogue happening during an entirely different shot. During the gunfight, a combatant throws a grenade, and Rorke dives on it to save his team before it detonates, killing him. Act of Valor is a 2012 American action film[2] produced and directed by Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh, and written by Kurt Johnstad. At home, Rorke is given a military funeral with full honors, where the SEALs pay their respects. Norm Needleman (D) and Brendan Saunders (R), Girls' soccer highlights: Waterford 2, East Lyme 0, Full replay: East Lyme at Waterford boys' and girls' soccer doubleheader, Remembering Eddie Van Halen with guitarist Andy Timmons. Edit . The whole point of being a submarine is to stay underwater. Act of Valor was released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on June 5, 2012 with a rating of R.[14]. American submarines are no longer simply engaged in cat-and-mouse games with Russian submarines in far corners of the ocean, we are told. Edit, Several alterations were made for the international cut of the movie: some of the footage was either cut out or re-dubbed for international markets which mitigates the movie's message. A squad from the platoon consisting of Rorke, Dave, Wiemy, Mikey, Ray, Sonny, and Ajay, is then deployed to Costa Rica to exfiltrate Morales. Shabal and sixteen terrorists are found to be on an island off Baja California, where the SEALs act to secure the island, killing eight terrorists. At dawn, they approach the compound, hear Morales being tortured, and decide to enter the compound early. When the SEAL is struck by the warhead he is so close to the firer that the rocket motor hasn't kicked in yet and the warhead hasn't had time to arm so his body armour is able to save him. The SEALs and Special Boat Team members would remain anonymous, as none of their names appear in the film's credits. Lieutenant Rorke (Rorke Denver) confides to Chief Dave that his wife is pregnant and has the entire team spend time together with their families until their next deployment. Edit, Yes. [3], U.S. Navy Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen, Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, List of films featuring the United States Navy SEALs, "TOLDJA! How can one of the SEALs survive being struck in the chest by a Rocket-Propelled Grenade? He also inspired Nicholas Cage's film Lord of War.