ACT OF VALOR: FINALLY REAL ACTION HEROES!

This is fantastic! Finally there is a movie with actors who are capable of performing the action sequences you see in the film in real life. I often am annoyed with the media pumping up soft actors as super-tough heroes. They simply are not but in the film ACT OF VALOR these are true heroes! Act of Valor stars real-life active duty Navy Seals.

The equipment is real, the tactics are real, even the bullets are real! The S.E.A.L.'s insisted on shooting live rounds because that is how they train. The premise of the film is based on actual threats the S.E.A.L's have dealt with and woven into a fictional story about a threat to the USA. The exact type of threat we never hear about because these tremendous men deal with it in private so some of you can be obsessed about Madonna's terrible Super-Bowl half-time show or what some actress wore to an awards show. I believe if these men and their families sacrifice so much then you owe it to them and your country to use your time to educate yourself, be a benefit to your community, help a military family, to improve yourself some how. That is what the Founding Fathers constantly wrote about and did, to strive to improve yourself in every area of your life daily. This is the freedom the Founding Fathers and the U.S. Military has bought for you at such a heavy price.

The Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Department of Defense all maintain liaison offices in Hollywood to guide filmmakers 
through the process. The Defense Department's entertainment media 
division is from the Pentagon in 
Washington, D.C. These liaison's help to maintain accuracy in the
 productions they work with. The coordinate the rental of their 
equipment and personnel. You have seen their cooperation in many 
films and TV shows, Top Gun, all of the Transformers, and numerous
 others could not obtain the look and realistic feel without the 
cooperation of the military. Once the Pentagon approves a script they 
work out how they can assist in the film in advisers, extras, and 
equipment. The production companies rent the equipment hourly 
and pay for the military personnel, who are all on leave during their 
participation in filming. Their participation does not cost the tax-payers 
or the government any money. Act of Valor needed to be filmed 
around the S.E.A.L.'s deployments.

It does not seem conceivable that a movie could gain this level of cooperation
 from the military. Director and Producer Mike "Mouse" McCoy and Director, 
Producer, Editor Scott Waugh obviously built an enormous amount of trust 
and mutual respect with the military while filming commercials for them. 
For the military to expose some of its most valuable assets, the S.E.A.L.'s, 
their tactics, and equipment is a amazing. You have to hope that these men 
and their families will be kept safe from our Nation's enemies. 
McCoy and Waugh deserve a tremendous amount of credit as filmmakers
and relationship builders. The trust they have earned from the military 
and S.E.A.L. community is impressive. Their film is equally impressive 
in concept and completed project. 

Act of Valor had a very impressive opening weekend at the box office. 
The Associated Press' Jake Coyle wrote,
"On Oscar weekend, the real-life action stars of "Act of Valor" bested Hollywood's pretend heroes.
The Relativity Media action flick, starring real, active-duty U.S. Navy SEALs, topped the weekend box office, earning $24.7 million according to studio estimates Sunday. That was a strong opening for a unique film made in collaboration with the Navy, which sought to demonstrate the skill and bravery of the SEALs without Hollywood imitation.
"How often can you repeat the same heroes that are big stars pretending to be heroes?" said Kyle Davies, president of worldwide distribution for Relativity. "I think moviegoers are ready for a new, fresh experience."'

Act of Valor also has critics, who claim it is a propaganda film like those during and after World War II, where Hollywood's finest made patriotic films. Those films are some of the most popular and long cherished in Hollywood history for starters. I read one blogger who is not worth mentioning wondering where was the commander who questioned the mission or the soldier who is strung out and barely holding mental sanity together. Are you kidding me? That blogger's opinion of the military is formed solely on anti-military propaganda films and has no idea of the reality of the world except the twisted view she chose to watch and accept as reality. Not everyone in our military is perfect but you'll find much better company and character amongst the military then you will the Hollywood elite or elite's crowd in general. Stars like Tim Tebow and others who are not ashamed to support our military or be patriotic had a wonderful time at the premier. Yet, this film almost never happened, “Nobody from Hollywood wanted us to make it,” says Waugh. “That’s why we ended up funding it ourselves and finding private equity and why we really made a truly independent film with this.”

Act of Valor is a wonderful film that I intend to see again with my Nephews. I encourage you and your family to also support this film by purchasing a ticket. Our country needs a film like this during these troubled times. It is almost your patriotic duty to see this film!

You may also show your thanks and support for these brave soldiers here:
http://www.navysealfoundation.org/donate.htm