Author Topic: Act of Valor movie discussion (Read 10054 times)

TS_Hawk · « **on:** 21 February 2012, 17:35:00 »

The movie Act of Valor hasn't been released yet and to me it looks really cool. But what I am wondering is why talk about it starring active duty navy seals, I thought they had to keep there identities a secret so I am not sure how this is going to be done?

How many of you plan on seeing it? Any military guys on here who might know more about the seals and how they managed to get involved with the movie?

Cannon_Fodder · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 February 2012, 19:38:25 »

Not sure what the rules on the Seals are. Having active duty military in movies in nothing new. Normally they are flying/driving military aircraft and vehicles. Top Gun, JAG and others use Aircraft carrier crew as extras. The aircraft belonged to and were flown by military pilots. The Army Golden Knights parachute team has also been in a few productions.

bytor · « **Reply #2 on:** 21 February 2012, 19:50:08 »

According to the wikipedia article on the movie, the names of the SEALS in the movie are not listed in the credits. That seemed to be enough for the Navy.

TS_Hawk · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 February 2012, 20:37:19 »

Quote from: bytor on 21 February 2012, 19:50:08

According to the wikipedia article on the movie, the names of the SEALS in the movie are not listed in the credits. That seemed to be enough for the Navy.

Good enough for me too then just keep our boys safe. Don't know why I want to see this movie so bad.

Marwynn · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 February 2012, 21:48:32 »

Looking forward to this movie as well. Thought they'd just use noms de guerre though, perhaps like Charles Norrisson, etc.

Cannon_Fodder · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 February 2012, 00:37:10 »

They sure know how to make an entrance to the Hollywood premier

First person POV http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ-VWJjVoZ8

Ground http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tmwBoe9_9s

Hersh67 · « **Reply #6 on:** 25 February 2012, 09:39:56 »

It won't win an Academy award, but it was a good movie. One to take sons and daughters to (when they're old enough) to show them what some folks do for their country and their friends.

I liked the interogation scene with Senior Chief. >:D Yep, better odds on going into a gun fight with a knife than facing him.

TS_Hawk · « **Reply #7 on:** 25 February 2012, 12:55:35 »

I have to wait till next week to see it.

Bob Gaussington · « **Reply #8 on:** 25 February 2012, 23:23:46 »

The movie has SEALs and it shows. The action parts are very nice, while the acting....well I take it acting isn't one of the Navy's specialties.

Drop Bear · « **Reply #9 on:** 26 February 2012, 00:55:42 »

likely when you see Tac-Opps and you see guys moving around in Hoods or Balaclavas or wide shots with heavy Camo Make-up that will be the the real SEALS, and they will sneak them in to group shots.

Sharpnel · « **Reply #10 on:** 26 February 2012, 01:42:19 »

Insane jump, if you ask me. Jumping into an urban environment at night. I know I wouldn't do it if I were a chutist.

ColBosch · « **Reply #11 on:** 26 February 2012, 04:28:41 »

Got to be honest, this movie has been so overhyped that I'm giving it a pass. Maybe forever. There are amazing stories to be told yet, and I'm getting tired of Hollywood renditions of the same few groups over and over again.

Taurevanime · « **Reply #12 on:** 26 February 2012, 06:25:49 »

I do not know if they picked the SEALS because they were responsible for the hit on Osama, or because they are more well known by the general public.
Or it could simply be a case of the Navy being very supportive in helping make films and television shows that put them in a good light.

But yes we have had movies about SEALS, the various Army Special forces units, and even the Air Force (Black Hawk Down featured a lot of them). But I don't know if MARSOC units have ever been featured in a feature film.

Peter Smith · « **Reply #13 on:** 26 February 2012, 09:19:47 »

Quote from: Taurevanime on 26 February 2012, 06:25:49

I do not know if they picked the SEALS because they were responsible for the hit on Osama, or because they are more well known by the general public.

From what I was reading the movie was completed, and it was being shopped to distribution houses when the news of Osama's death broke. At that point the guy shopping it shut down operations for a month, in order to not look like they were trying to capitalize on bin Laden's death.

trboturtle · « **Reply #14 on:** 26 February 2012, 11:42:04 »

Quote from: Taurevanime on 26 February 2012, 06:25:49

I do not know if they picked the SEALS because they were responsible for the hit on Osama, or because they are more well known by the general public.
Or it could simply be a case of the Navy being very supportive in helping make films and television shows that put them in a good light.

But yes we have had movies about SEALS, the various Army Special forces units, and even the Air Force (Black Hawk Down featured a lot of them). But I don't know if MARSOC units have ever been featured in a feature film.

From what I gather, it took them four years to film the movie, as they had to work around the SEALs' training and deployments. Long before the raid. . . .

Craig

Blacksheep · « **Reply #15 on:** 27 February 2012, 07:02:08 »

The SEAL leadership was looking for a film to be made for recruiting purposes and Act of Valor was the result. It blends several of the most heroic SEAL engagements over the last decade into one story. This isn't a dig, but the fact is, SEALs are much more comfortable with the limelight than others in the SOF community. For example, U.S. Army Special Forces promotes the image of the "Quiet Professional," (some being more quiet than others) which at times in their history has cost them during the annual DoD budget popularity contest. MARSOC will never have a film with USMC support, it was forced on them in the first place and they will self-eradicate the command at the first opportunity.

Taurevanime · « **Reply #16 on:** 27 February 2012, 09:38:09 »

Wait, why does the USMC not like MARSOC?

Drop Bear · « **Reply #17 on:** 27 February 2012, 11:01:46 »

I think it's most likely a thing about Elites within an Elite thing, The USMC sees the entire Core as an Elite Force. Force Recon, Scout/Sniper and a few others are seen as Special Warfare elements of the Core more than Elites (admittedly ones that draw on a select few Extra Specialist Talents from within the Core), also the Core doesn't like giving Marines up to outside entities.

Also the USMC are part of the worlds sibling-hood of Ultimate Bad Asses, If you don't already Know and Acknowledge that fact you deserve to pay the price in a most unfortunate fashion (so why make a movie about it?).

Jackmc · « **Reply #18 on:** 27 February 2012, 12:39:48 »

Quote from: ColBosch on 26 February 2012, 04:28:41

There are amazing stories to be told yet, and I'm getting tired of Hollywood renditions of the same few groups over and over again.

Actually, by all accounts, technical/cinematic-wise, this film is a steaming pile of crap because the Navy so much wanted somethign that wasn't Hollywood that they threw the baby out with the bathwater.

-Jackmc

I am Belch II · « **Reply #19 on:** 27 February 2012, 12:47:49 »

So its just like a action movie?? Bad acting but awesome action. The best part of the movie, the bad acting, isn't from a movie actor that dont make 10 million dollars a movie. The best part!!!

Krieghund · « **Reply #20 on:** 27 February 2012, 16:29:38 »

I caught it yesterday, and it was good for what it was, since I wasn't really expecting any kind of acting from real SEALs. What really struck me was how much like a Modern Warfare game they made it look like. Or vice versa, whatever. The first person shots really made me think of the FPS genre. I don't know if that's good or bad, but if they were looking at it as a recruitment tool, I guess it's a good thing.

Blacksheep · « **Reply #21 on:** 28 February 2012, 07:17:20 »

Quote from: Drop Bear on 27 February 2012, 11:01:46

I think it's most likely a thing about Elites within an Elite thing, The USMC sees the entire Core as an Elite Force. Force Recon, Scout/Sniper and a few others are seen as Special Warfare elements of the Core more than Elites (admittedly ones that draw on a select few Extra Specialist Talents from within the Core), also the Core doesn't like giving Marines up to outside entities.

Also the USMC are part of the worlds sibling-hood of Ultimate Bad Asses, If you don't already Know and Acknowledge that fact you deserve to pay the price in a most unfortunate fashion (so why make a movie about it?).

I'm really not trying to give you a hard time here, but your post IMHO is the USMCs weakness of perception in a nutshell. Special Operations is not about being badasses, that's a professional symptom...its about being masters of chaos and filling in the mission gaps the rest of the force does not or cannot do. While I love the USMC esprit de corps, history, and belief in their own invulnerability, it is impossible to master every military skill with one particular mindset. It just cannot be done although the USMC will tell you otherwise. They are fantastic at what they do, but they can't do everything successfully in their way...and to be fair, they are not the only force in the world to think that way.

ColBosch · « **Reply #22 on:** 28 February 2012, 07:54:06 »

Quote from: Blacksheep on 28 February 2012, 07:17:20

I'm really not trying to give you a hard time here, but your post IMHO is the USMCs weakness of perception in a nutshell. Special Operations is not about being badasses, that's a professional symptom...its about being masters of chaos and filling in the mission gaps the rest of the force does not or cannot do. While I love the USMC esprit de corps, history, and belief in their own invulnerability, it is impossible to master every military skill with one particular mindset. It just cannot be done although the USMC will tell you otherwise. They are fantastic at what they do, but they can't do everything successfully in their way...and to be fair, they are not the only force in the world to think that way.

I agree completely here. In the Army, I went to school to be a tank crewman, but ended up in a unit without tanks, at which point I started cross-training on freaking everything. Combat medic, infantry, Stryker driver and commander, radioman... It wasn't simply "here's the basics of what you'll need from these disciplines;" we were driven to equal or surpass the specialists. It rarely happened, and never consistently, but the mindset was still there.

Drop Bear · « **Reply #23 on:** 28 February 2012, 08:19:13 »

Just what I was trying to get at, the USMC see themselves as one Elite to the last Marine, though they have a few "Special Talents" they are still Marines First, Last and Always, the USMC tends to sometimes put too high a Premium on the individual value of each Marine, This is Good to make sure you have your mates backs when someone shouts "Contact" and to be 100% sure everyone goes home one way or the other, but it tends to stop them letting Marines go away to the DoD's Schools for the Gifted and picking up useful skills and contacts by doing "Work Experience" out side the Core.

Perhaps someone should introduce the idea of Tiered Elites to the USMC, and having Nads that Clank when you walk (even on the Girls) tends to give your position away to the enemy.

I am Belch II · « **Reply #24 on:** 28 February 2012, 16:38:32 »

I saw the movie, and the action was awesome. The movie had me on the edge of my seat, chearing, booing, and almost in tears at the end. I will see it again.

Taurevanime · « **Reply #25 on:** 28 February 2012, 17:19:10 »

It seems to me the problem is that some branches just don't want to share to help out a branch other than their own. Though to my eyes looking from the outside in, the biggest issue seems to be with aircraft. Probably because they are the most expensive.

Sharpnel · « **Reply #26 on:** 29 February 2012, 02:03:39 »

#1 movie this past weekend with $24.5 million. Then again the competition was pretty weak with Tyler Perry's new movie in at #2 with $15.6 million

Jackmc · « **Reply #27 on:** 29 February 2012, 10:25:47 »

Quote from: Sharpnel on 29 February 2012, 02:03:39

#1 movie this past weekend with $24.5 million.

Ouch, I know that this is the doldrums time of year for movies, but even with that, that's a painfuly low take for the #1 slot.

-Jackmc

GRUD · « **Reply #28 on:** 29 February 2012, 12:25:50 »

Quote from: bytor on 21 February 2012, 19:50:08

According to the wikipedia article on the movie, the names of the SEALS in the movie are not listed in the credits. That seemed to be enough for the Navy.

That's not Totally Correct. In the credits, where you'd normally see the "Actor's" name beside the Character's name, you see the same name as the Character. ;D

Quote from: Sharpnel on 26 February 2012, 01:42:19

Insane jump, if you ask me. Jumping into an urban environment at night. I know I wouldn't do it if I were a chutist.

Actually, they landed outside of town by a few miles, then walked in.

Quote from: I am Belch II on 27 February 2012, 12:47:49

So its just like a action movie?? Bad acting but awesome action. The best part of the movie, the bad acting, isn't from a movie actor that dont make 10 million dollars a movie. The best part!!!

Sort of like when you take a "Professional Wrestler", and put them in a movie? :D

Jackmc · « **Reply #29 on:** 29 February 2012, 12:58:44 »

Quote from: Sharpnel on 26 February 2012, 01:42:19

Insane jump, if you ask me. Jumping into an urban environment at night. I know I wouldn't do it if I were a chutist.

Not a particuarly big deal. It's actually easier than landing in an unlit open field at night. Unlike an airborne drop, ram-air canopies are precision devices. The target for modern (ie ram-air) parachute accuracy competitions is a little bit smaller than a paper plate. Plus, those miitary canopies are very large which means that even with their gear bundles, they're at what most jumeprs would consider a very low wingloading which translates to a relatively low forward speed which makes approaches much easier and minimizes the amount of forward travel after touchdown.

Believe it or not, the biggest danger for SF operators in jump operations is that they are relatively inexperienced. A "highly experinced" operator might have ~200 jumps which is only enough to qualify for an intermediate license in the sport jumping world and most of those 200 have been ultra-specialized. It's not uncommon for teams with a little down time to use their personal funds and seek out civilian drop zones/instructors to supplement their knowledge/skill sets. I was actually supposed to train Seal Team 8 last year, but we got weathered in on that weekend and they didn't have any other openings in their schedule.

-Jackmc