Act Of Valour review

A Navy SEALs drama that strives for realism

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“A single twig will break, a bundle of twigs is strong,” muses a philosophically inclined commander of his platoon of heroic Navy SEALs.

This voiceover is one of many perplexing elements in this ridiculously pumped-up military recruitment video, which intersperses brilliant and immersive combat scenes with excruciating comradely banter.

If the politics are simplistic – think Team America – the performances (by real, anonymous SEALs) are even more so. Whether they’re saving catwalk-hot models or shooting cackling terrorists, the bundle of twigs analogy couldn’t be more apt.

Matt Glasby
Freelance Writer

Matt Glasby is a freelance film and TV journalist. You can find his work on Total Film - in print and online - as well as at publications like the Radio Times, Channel 4, DVD REview, Flicks, GQ, Hotdog, Little White Lies, and SFX, among others. He is also the author of several novels, including The Book of Horror: The Anatomy of Fear in Film and Britpop Cinema: From Trainspotting To This Is England.

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