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Hypable Movie Review: ‘Act of Valor’ stumbles out of the gates, can’t recover

First and foremost, Act of Valor fails on a conceptual level. I’m not specifically speaking about the by now well-advertised fact that the film features eight “active duty Navy SEALs,” which is problematic in it’s own right, and I’m not even accusing the film of being inauthentic in its depictions of the heroics and skill of these Navy SEALs, the issue is in its agenda. It’s been well publicized that this project began as an Army recruitment video, and the obvious biases the film has makes it, all acting, technical and storytelling aside, the anti-Hurt Locker.