I went and saw Act of Valor this morning. Tyler had said that the SF guys were irked that these SEALs would do this movie because it undermines the principles behind the special forces. Things are neither secret, nor special, if you're giving them away by showing them on a movie.
Well, as we left, I told my dad that I didn't think they showed anything that I either hadn't seen in a fictitious movie or that I believe I would see in a fictitious movie. Plus, they had actors all throughout the story, so you got the idea that the movie was based on truth, not that you were seeing these guys in action during real missions. However, the hype would have you believe these were real missions and that you'd see the SEALs in action.
Overall, I think it further explained and illustrated the camaraderie and brotherhood between soldiers. I use "further" because many movies have already touched on that subject. It didn't hardly elaborate on family life beyond one guy finding out his wife was pregnant before he was to deploy.
I was impressed by a few things -- not because they were SEALs, but because certain aspects were genuinely impressive and would have been in a movie about anyone and played by anyone:
1. Just walking out the back of a plane at a high altitude (warranting oxygen masks) and falling in formation is neat.
2. The sniper and spotter picking off bad guys to clear the way for the team is a good idea. I'd not seen snipers used that way before.
3. Chinooks carrying boats, which, as soon as they hit the water, have soldiers descending down a rope onto it... then, the boat taking off before the chinook even turns around to fly off again.
4. The guns on those little boats -- wow! It was on a turret... like in Valhalla on Halo (I think that's where it was).
5. The timing of everything... the sniper and spotter getting into the truck and the truck making it to the river JUSTINTIME to have the boats appear and start blowing the bad guys to smithereens.
6. Ceramic ball bearing vests that the terrorists had... geesh! Makes me never want to live in a big city.
7. Shooting the enemy dead in the forehead most of the time. If it's true, then color me impressed.
8. Swimming? Walking? underwater and there being no waves, ripples, or air bubbles!
9. When one guy, underwater, lifted his hands above the water, then the sniper shot the bad guy on the dock and he fell back into the hands of the SEAL, so there was no splash! Neat!
On the other hand, there were some minor disappointments, but not wholly unexpected:
1. The way the SEALs spoke during briefs and often to each other... very unnatural.
2. Jumping on a grenade to save your mates. I get it, but I don't like it... as a wife.
3. They're as a team or in at least pairs, then at one point one guy gets all shot up and no one is with him! What? How did get to be "alone"?
4. Shooting during a chase scene... why waste so much time NOT shooting and why are so many bullets used? I felt like they should have been more efficient.
I'm sure Tyler wouldn't be impressed by the movie because he can do everything they can, or he says he can and I believe him because I have no reason to doubt him, but also, I would never be able to see him do the things I found impressive. His military life is so intertwined, yet separated from our married life. Yes, it dictates where I live and when and what he wears and such, but I don't physically see him doing all the things he's trained to do. I saw him fly twice and I took his word that it was him flying because I couldn't see faces or anything from the ground... so it's all quite detached for me, which is strange to think about.
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