Act of Valor

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Act of Valor

R

2012

1h 50m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

Adventure

War

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

28%

Tomatometer

141 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

When its latest mission leads to the discovery of a deadly terrorist plot against the U.S., an elite team of Navy SEALs sets out on a global manhunt. As the men of Bandito Platoon race to stop an attack that could kill or maim thousands of American civilians, they must balance their commitment to their duty and family back home. Each new piece of intelligence they gather reveals a shocking twist to the plot as they track the terrorist ring to the U.S.- Mexico border.

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Critics Consensus

It's undeniably reverent of the real-life heroes in its cast, but Act of Valor lets them down with a clichéd script, stilted acting, and a jingoistic attitude that ignores the complexities of war.

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Tara Brady

Irish Times

Apr 1, 2012

1/5

I guess they had to be realistic in order to make up for the dialogue, the acting, the special effects, the mawkishness, the closeted homoeroticism, the jingoism...

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Mar 22, 2012

1/5

In the 1980s, Top Gun reportedly sent young men rushing to join the military; this hilariously bad film is going to get them clamouring to join the Jon Stewart Appreciation Society.

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Tim Robey

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Mar 22, 2012

2/5

The film is almost unashamedly a recruitment video for future Seals, but let's hope possession of a PlayStation 3 doesn't become the sole condition for enrolling.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 19, 2022

2.5/5

“Act of Valor” does enough of what it’s aiming for.

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Howard Gorman

NME (New Musical Express)

Jun 10, 2021

Shadowing real-life SEALs as they re-enact some of the most stunning combat sequences ever put to film, this is the closest a film has ever got to emulating a Call of Duty game.

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Sep 1, 2020

2.5/4.0

Act of Valor isn't an awful film.

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Armond W

@RT02088003 Sep 12, 2026

Great depiction of military heroism. And the combat sequences seem really realistic, and are quite well done.

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Will M

@Mass9126 Aug 1, 2026

The idea of putting actual veterans in a movie to better depict action in a combat zone is super awesome. I forgive them for the subpar acting because the stunts and choreography are great. I saw this movie in theaters when it came out and just saw it again in 2026 for the first time since. Still enjoyed it. When critics hate it, but viewers love it, you know it’s going to be good

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Imaginarily B

@ImaginIt Jul 21, 2026

Recruitment video for the US military. Tragic.

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Frans B

@FransB Mar 15, 2026

The huge discrepancy between the "critics" and "audience" here must mean something? Great effort in directing by McCoy and Waugh, capable cast a bit underutilized, writing could be better but overall not half bad. Clear and concise dialogue, as it should be, not to be mistaken for "bad acting". Great cinematography and visually appealing. Enough action, drama, suspense, emotion, twists and intrigue. Does have a "real world" feel to it, which is very nice. The fact that real SEALS were used in movie gets an extra point from me. Entertaining

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Matthew T

@RT22733965 Sep 20, 2025

Great movie. Absolute must watch! Im surprised nobody is mentioning in the reviews that the Seals in this movie are played by real Navy Seals. Some retired and some active duty.

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Gregory S

@Gregory566 Sep 1, 2025

The critics continue to illustrate how inept they really are. Is this a great movie? No Is it a truly accurate account? No But, it’s an awesome depiction of the brother and sisterhood of Service Members.

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Mike McCoy

Director

Scott Waugh

Director

Roselyn Sanchez

Agent Morales

Jason Cottle

Abu Shabal

Alex Veadov

Christo

Nestor Serrano

Walter Ross

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Synopsis

When its latest mission leads to the discovery of a deadly terrorist plot against the U.S., an elite team of Navy SEALs sets out on a global manhunt. As the men of Bandito Platoon race to stop an attack that could kill or maim thousands of American civilians, they must balance their commitment to their duty and family back home. Each new piece of intelligence they gather reveals a shocking twist to the plot as they track the terrorist ring to the U.S.- Mexico border.

Director: Mike McCoy, Scott Waugh
Screenwriter: Kurt Johnstad
Distributor: Relativity Media
Production Co: Bandido Brothers
Rating: R (Some Torture|Language|Strong Violence)
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller, Adventure, War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 24, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 4, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $70.0M
Runtime: 1h 50m

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