Hollywood appears to have caught Navy SEAL fever, given the increasing number of upcoming projects that involve this particular brand of soldier. Add one more to the lineup: Act of Valor, a Black Hawk Down-style thriller about a squad tasked with a dangerous rescue mission that sees them cross right into enemy territory.
Relativity Media has now acquired the rights to the film, which promises to feature (according to the official press release) “high-octane combat sequences” that were crafted by former stuntmen-turned directors Mike “Mouse” McCoy and Scott Waugh.
According to Deadline, part of what makes Relativity’s deal for Act of Valor noteworthy is that it’s an exceptionally expensive acquisition move (with a cost upwards of $30 million) for a project that features no big-name cast members and was helmed by a pair of lesser-known filmmakers. However, the recent death of terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden at the hands of a Navy SEAL team has got Hollywood seeing dollar signs – and thus, any project involving those covert ops soldiers is now being seen as a hot commodity.
Other SEAL-centric projects on the horizon include Kathryn Bigelow’s film about the hunt for Bin Laden (still tentatively titled Kill Bin Laden); Maersk Alabama, a project based on the novel “A Captain’s Duty” about a Somali pirates hijacking, which will star Tom Hanks and looks to be directed by Paul Greengrass; and Lone Survivor, another based-on-a-true-story of Navy SEALs in action from director Peter Berg (The Kingdom, Hancock).
Act of Valor is now slated for release in early 2012 (most likely, President’s Day weekend next February), so it’ll be the first of the four aforementioned Navy SEAL movies to hit theaters.
Filming on the 'set' of 'Act of Valor'
McCoy and Waugh were reportedly allowed “unprecedented Naval access” in order to craft highly-realistic and engaging battle sequences for Act of Valor, which also features actual Navy SEALs as members of its cast – alongside professional acting types like Roselyn Sanchez (Rush Hour 2) and Emilio Rivera (Sons of Anarchy). With experienced stuntmen calling the shots, there’s little reason to doubt that the film won’t be a gritty and intense military thriller – on the action side of things, at least.
Of course, war movies are just as prone to suffering from conventional and cliché scripts as any other type of genre film – and with 300 co-writer Kurt Johnstad being responsible for the Act of Valor screenplay, there’s all the more reason to be concerned that the final product will have more than its fair share of hammy inspirational speeches or one-dimensional characters. Act of Valor definitely has the potential to be just as engaging as any of the other upcoming Navy SEAL movies on a visceral level, but the lack of a well-regarded or decorated filmmaker working behind the scenes suggests it could lack the substance of its peers.
As mentioned before, Act of Valor is expected to reach theaters by February 17th, 2012. We’ll let you know when it’s officially set for release – and when a trailer for the film has been unveiled.
Source: Relativity Media (via Deadline)
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This sounds interesting if it’s actually realistic. But here is what will happen. Movie critics (99% have no clue about the real military) will criticize this movie for being too pro-military, while praising Bigelow’s movie even though it’ll most likely be completely unrealistic with dozens of scenes that sacrifice realism for artificially created suspenseful moments. But critics will call that “authentic” because that’s what they want to see in a movie about the military…
I can see nothing in your post to disagree with. Kudos.
@KenJ,
Your point is well taken regarding the critics. I have seen the film and I can tell you that with a few exceptions (very few) it is extremely realistic. In fact, many of the action scenes were performed using live ammunition delivered on target by the SEALs themselves. This makes for an experience that is an order of magnitude more intense and realistic than any top of the line Hollywood war film.
My concern with respect to the critics is that in the film there are no personal recriminations. There is no soul searching regret for having killed somebody. There is no “acting out” like Charlie Sheen in the ’90s Navy SEALs movie. The fact is that these things are rare in reality.
I am a SEAL Reservist and one of my best friends is in the film. The film’s greatest accomplishment aside from the amazing action scenes is how it captures the actual mindset of SEALs at war. It is a job. It is a dangerous job, but in its own way it is exciting, fulfilling, challenging and even fun. That may seem strange, but it is what it is. There is fear, but then we know that we are entering the arena better prepared, trained, and equipped than anyone we will ever face. That doesn’t give you immortality, but it does give you confidence that the people you are with are the very best not only at what they do, but the best kind of people. 100% reliable all the time with no exceptions.
I think this message gets across in the film and THAT is the recruiting angle. Where else can you go to be with people this incredible, trustworthy, and loyal? I don’t know any other place.
@Froggy
Well, I really hope what you’re saying is true and you’re not just pulling our leg, that makes me want to see it that much more. And not to sound insensitive, but why should our SEALs feel regret for what they do? Sure they are killing people, but they are doing so in order to save others. Pride should be the only feeling.
And regarding your last question of where else to find people who are trustworthy and loyal, definitely not the government, that’s for sure…
Oops, pulling our legs, forgot the s…
There is nothing to regret in most cases, but I have the sense that Hollywood people think otherwise. They want to see the crazy vet with the tortured soul. They want to believe that we will all have a psychic price to pay for killing poor brown people in their homelands. Well, unless you are unprofessionally killing people that you know are not entitled to hostile treatment, there is nothing to feel bad about.
As for the government, the military is a completely different animal as I’m sure you are aware.
Well, I’m mainly talking about the politicians in Washington. Not those who merely work for the government.
“Of course, war movies are just as prone to suffering from conventional and cliché scripts as any other type of genre film – and with 300 co-writer Kurt Johnstad being responsible for the Act of Valor screenplay, there’s all the more reason to be concerned that the final product will have more than its fair share of hammy inspirational speeches or one-dimensional characters.”
I would sure as heck rather see a realistic portrayal with some “hammy” lines than the Anti War and Anti American films that both Bigelow and Hanks are set to produce. This war has been ongoing for almost 10 years and we have yet to see any of the hundreds of heroic acts and people who have been part of it in a POSITIVE light. Hollywood is so against anything that might reflect positively on Bush or the current wars they have kept most from being made. Only when they added in Aliens “Battle: LA was it allowed to slip thru the cracks and did VERY well. Go figure.
Every time I see the word “Hollywood” used to embody a single entity with a political agenda I have to smile just a little bit. “HOLLYWOOD wants this.. or HOLLYWOOD doesn’t like that”. Hollywood is a place not a thing. In that place there are many small companies who’s focus and commitment is to satisfying consumer demand. Likewise, the large studios are also most interested in satisfying consumer demand. If one suspects a political agenda it would be difficult to argue a liberal anti-american agenda. Most large studious are public companies inside media conglomerates helmed by overtly right wing conservatives. There is no liberal media. That died long ago. People… consumers.. make movies popular. If a movie is good it will find it’s audience on one or more of the major platforms. I’m always shocked when people root for a movies success prior to it’s release. That is a function of the writers personal political loyalty. Let the movie stand on its own. People with either like it or they won’t. That goes for the other war films coming out too. Realism isn’t the end all be all in a work of art. If that were the case our home movies would be Hollywood blockbusters and documentaries would be huge hits.
“There is no liberal media.”
Cool man, because that made me smile just a little bit too. Ok, maybe more than a little bit…
I kind of doubt that most media conglomerates are “helmed by overtly right wing conservatives”, but then I don’t know anybody helming a media conglomerate. The impression I am often left with by these helmsmen is that soldiers are either crazy sadists, cartoonish bada$$es or victims. That is a fairly consistent media template for war films going back to my childhood in the 1970s at least.
None of those categories is in effect for this film, and I think that is a rare thing which may make the film more popular. It is explicitly authentic rather than a writer making up traditions, attitudes, or the general demeanor of a Navy SEAL as they imagine it. Again rare. I think that anyone with an interest in SEALs or war films is going to enjoy it. It might even make some young impressionable kids want to join up. :p