The Act of Valor - Essay Example

Number] The Act of Valor The Act of Valor is a movie which is directed by Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh; being the debuts of both. The genre of the film is action, yet sometimes hard to perceive. It is based upon the US Navy SEALs stories and experiences and talks about various military stories involving many aspects that can be given to it. Many refer it as a war movie showing the honourable military action and defence. It is clearly an action movie but it differs with other action movies in terms of having an undefeatable hero and bravado. It depicts the military stories based on documentaries and experiences which are showed through the film, defining their action. The reasons why despite being an action film, the film talks about much of the honesty present in the film unlike any of the other action films, is because the directors have linked it to the experiences and military stories. The techniques and the methods that are used to shoot the film add to the beauty of the film that can be seen by the viewers. Action movies are all about sound and visual effects, and the events covered in the Act of Valor show the true experiences that convinced many of the US militants and their true experiences and stories. The film was shot in 5D which was just the right use of form for this type of a film. The film was segmented well and showed all the scenes perfectly. The story line and the theme of the film allowed it to compliment the actors and the story line in 5D to make it much more enticing for the viewer. The action, graphics, shooting and other features involves in the film were displayed in 5D that eventually increased the impact of the film on the viewer, along with the catchy story, a viewer can simply be dragged into the film until it ends. The film has just been paced in the right way and has been directed even better than any action film. The cinematography of the film and the plot is a combination of excellent features and techniques shown that they attract the viewer into the film. The screenplay and the graphical effects that needed to be used in such a film are perfectly combined with each frame that it compliments the overall film. The directors know exactly which scene should be framed after which and how it has to be shot. With the great actors used, the film turned out to be a masterpiece technically and critically. Some of the sequences from the movie seemed to be critically out of focus, and this would be a point where most of the viewers would loose their attention. However, the plot and the story line being consistent would keep their attention to the film and the events taking place. Such details seem to be so minor that even the critics tend to overlook them and concentrate on the various sequences where there was excellent focus and the camera did a perfect job. Many of the soft shots shot by the camera were perfectly cinematographed in the film and showed some splendid performances at various times. The problem with the focus seen at very slight moments was the action sequence being shot and focused so well, while the soft scenes like the dialogues seem to be unfocused. At times the viewer would find themselves looking at the ear of the actor because that is the focus in that scene. Though it becomes distracting, the story and the plot cover it up and provide the viewer a reason to overlook the bad focus. Otherwise, the focus was brilliantly set out throughout the frames of tracking sequences and all action scenes. The film was very well projected in 5D in the digital projection. The work done with the digital projection was the right thing to do as it convinced the viewer to be engaged in the film and its effects. The film projected the action sequences just as well as it projected other scenes. The framing of the camera used was perfect to suit the digital projection, and the use of graphics also showed how much the director had chosen perfect frames to shoot the film. The digital texture of the film enhanced the action sequences and allowed many of the aerial shots to be shot on different versions of 5D, which however, looked pleasing in all versions as were directed well. The cinematographer used many shots and frames in order to fulfil the requirements of the film’s action sequences, graphics, visual effects and timing. He did a brilliant job with the camera and shot some amazing sequences that won the hearts of many. He used long lens and Zeiss wide lenses to shoot the action sequences and the focal points of the graphics of shooting, war and other military operations. He also used 18mm Ziess ZE that were mounted on the SEAL’s helmet to capture their point of view. This added to the amazing way the film was shot throughout, even taking care of such minor details. The camera work and the cinematography were amazingly done which was undoubtedly one of the main reasons why the film was a popular viewer’s choice. The colour and the lights used in the film were also very technical. As per the camera lens being used and the locations that were chosen to shoot the scenes, the cinematographer used the natural light coming from the windows to adjust his frames. He uses his camera lens to capture the light and give an effect as realistic as possible in the film, and he quite as well succeeds in it. The locations used were very realistic ones which enhanced the shooting of the film and suited the whole plot of the film. Some of the locations that were used to portray realistic events were the terrorist camps on an isolated island, a smuggler’s yacht and a drug cartel base. After plotting the idea on which the film was going to base, the directors went out on a long search for the actors and the variety they could bring to their film to make it different and appealing. The directors, keeping in mind all the realistic shots they wanted they shoot, and the uses of guns and wars, decided that the SEALs could themselves play these characters. They wanted to pay a tribute to these guys, and they thought that the only way their experiences and stories may be depicted to the viewers is by taking them as actors of their own film. The directors also believed that this was the best way to pay a tribute to the SEALs. The directors had been immersing into their communities to know more about their lives and their experiences. As the film is documented and factual, they had to take out several true stories that they would depict in their film. Furthermore, the directors had chosen a very bold plot in which they wanted to shoot all the incidents and events as truly as they could to impress the viewers and more than that, to impress the SEALs with their own stories and experiences that could relate to each and every one of them. Thus, the directors felt the need of the SEALs to act in the film based on their own lives (Mullins 227). Some of the main characters were casted in the film including Alex Veadov, Roselyn Sanchez, Nestor Serrano and Emilio Rivera starred in the film while several SEALs veterans played themselves as they were told to be themselves throughout the film. Some of the SEALs, as suggested by the directors were worried about their identity being revealed to their enemies. However, none of these discussions were made as they did not bring it up. Moreover, by the time the film started to shoot, there were plenty of equipment and high-tech hardware that had arrived through the cooperation of the US Navy and the SEALs organization. They also acted as advisors throughout the film and which is why the directors were able to depict the lives of the SEALs so well and realistic. The directors were very happy by the way the SEALs performed in the film. However, they did negotiate on editing the parts that concerned with the security. Since the directors had the clear story in their minds and the screenplay on how exactly should each shot be screened, focused and framed, it became very easy for the SEALs to coordinate and cooperate. All they had to do was show their techniques, expertise and tactics. Although the acting did seem to be dry at points but the overall story was very real and was one that everyone paid attention to. Since, all the viewers knew that these guys were not actually actors, their efforts and performance was very well appreciated and accepted throughout, except for the critics. Some of the scenes included the things they were very good at such as action, fighting, shooting etc. Whereas, there were other scenes where they seemed to lack expressions and went flat as these scenes included the work of emotions and expressions which tended to lack in these SEALs. It is believed that the professional actors would have pulled it out in a better way during the dialogue scenes, but the SEALs were undoubtedly the actors that could pull out the action scenes unbelievably. Scenes like interrogation, fighting and others showing military operations were shot fantastically. They were also able to give an emotional touch to the film which was felt by many of the viewers. And because of the SEALs, this film has set the bar for action films (Mullins 227). The marketing of the film was done tremendously as to convey the message of the film to more and more people throughout the globe. It was marketed on different TV channels, newspapers, magazines, online websites and many other sources. It also had an official website which was accessible worldwide. The film was shown in various parts of the world after its release. Furthermore, along with the release of the film, a novel was also written by the title of Act of Valor. The marketing had been successful throughout and that is why there were many reviews received after the release. Sadly, the film opened with negative reviews form the critics. Many of the professional critics raised points on which they gave their reviews. The negative reviews were mainly given on the selection of actors. The critics argued that they were not real life heroes and thus they could not portray the script well, making the plot weak. Many other points related to the war and the military operations were raised declaring it overall a criticized film, and giving them an average rating of 25% approval, 4.6/10. It can not be ignored that many of the critics liked the film as well and declared it as ‘breathtaking’. However, despite the negative reviews made by the critics, the film earned immensely well on the box office. The audience seemed to give a positive feedback and polled the movie as very strong ‘A’ grade film. The film earned very well throughout the first weekend from all over the globe. From the audience the average rating that was received was 4.1/5. Even the critics who gave negative reviews for the film appreciated the plot and the script, but the only problem became the acting and the awkwardness in the soldiers acting it out. The plot of the movie stars a team of the SEALs who have the orders to stop a plot against the US. According to their mission, they are sent out hunting for the bad guys across the globe including the militias in Somalia to the Mexican drug cartels. Strong violence includes the brutal scene of a woman who is being kidnapped, beaten up and tortured. Another scene includes many children who are killed by the truck bomb. Action and violence shows many of the shooting scenes, injuries, blood and death. Moreover, the language used is constantly disturbing as they have used very bold language to show the realistic script (Couch and Galdorisi 225). The message that has been delivered by the movie is mixed. After watching the movie, it is up to the viewer how to perceive the message given out by the writer. The two conflicting messages that are being shown are firstly the unquestionable bravery that is being shown of the soldiers who are fighting for the country. They are shown as the brave and selfless team members who value their families, country and believe in sacrificing for the love of the nation. However, on the other hand, their job is violent and it requires them to continuously kill and injure other people. The Senior Chief from the SEALs is the one who gave a standout performance in the film. He played a scene in which he had to interrogate a drug trafficker which was played by an experienced actor Alex Veadov. The Chief totally dominated the screen and overshadowed his professional counterpart in every way. The dialogues and the editing of this scene were seen as a masterpiece done in the film, and that is what made it the movie’s most riveting and memorable scene. It is also remarkable that the most intense part of the movie starring the real soldiers was just two men conversing across a table (Couch and Galdorisi 225). As discussed earlier, the movie features a heavy dosage of action and thriller sequences as well, and the details given to these scenes was clearly the priority for the producers. It is known that from the equipment to tactics, the action is what plays out the technicality and the realism of a thriller. The focus was given to the weaponry borders on fetishism, and featured shots like a mini gun spewing bullets in slow motion. The scene in which the female agent is brutally tortured also gives a very fundamental message of the film. It delivers the message that recuing the world is only the duty of men, real men, not women, even when they suffer extreme pain and humiliation for their country. The life of the SEALs that the movie shows is rather not understandable. Although it does show how these men face death and bloodshed for their countries and how they make incredible sacrifices for their families, they still seem to be so immensely passionate on patriotism that once they survive, they immediately set off for the next mission. The missions that these guys are set on in the film show them as puppet heroes who have their emotions hidden away. However, even though the film was not acted out by real actors, or given positive reviews from the critics, the overall effort put into the film has been remarkable. In the end it’s all about what the movie was about. The plot was strong enough to earn much on the box office and the technical work done with the camera, frames, colours and sequences show exactly the perfect timing and this is why it touched the hearts of many. Work Cited Couch, Dickm and Galdorisi, George. Tom Clancy Presents: Act of Valor. US: Penguin Group, 2012.Print. Mullins, John. Napalm Dreams: A Man of Valor Novel. NY: Simon and Schuster, 2004.Print. Read More