by Lone Shark
The recently released movie Act of Valor grossed almost $25 million during “Oscar Weekend” easily making it the highest grossing movie of last weekend, more than covering the movie’s original production costs.Predictably, there are many reviews of the movie that contain significant amounts of inane criticism that accuse the movie of being “military propaganda,” “war propaganda,” “militainment” or worse. I’d really have no brief towards these critics if they focused their criticism on Act of Valor’s plot line, storyline, acting, dialogue, etc.- your standard types of movie criticism which of course is always fair game. I do however have a bone to pick with the charge that Act of Valor is “pro-war military propaganda” and I’ll explain why.
Hollywood, for the most part and to its credit, has typically endeavored to research whatever subject matter or roles that are being portrayed in order to establish their movies’ credibility and realism. Actors who research their roles are always widely heralded for bringing “depth” to their characters and for taking their craft seriously.
Do you think the 2nd Amendment will be destroyed by the Biden Administration?(2)
But why is it that whenever Hollywood produces military-themed movies such as Act of Valor, there are those who instantly become critics of that same sought after “realism” that they laud in other movies? There are also those critics who openly complain about the fact that the movie’s producers actually worked with Navy and Pentagon consultants– and in this instance, about the fact that the movie’s “actors” are actual Navy SEALs. Question– since when is it wrong to make movies that accurately depict their subject matter with the help of experts? Is it possible for there to be “too much realism” in a “propaganda”movie?
Second, let’s discuss the definition of the term “propaganda” for a minute-prop·a·gan·da/ˌpräpəˈgandə/
Noun: |
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Wikipedia also notes the following about “Propaganda”-
While the term propaganda has acquired a strongly negative connotation by association with its most manipulative and jingoistic examples, propaganda in its original sense was neutral, and could refer to uses that were generally benign or innocuous, such as public health recommendations, signs encouraging citizens to participate in a census or election, or messages encouraging persons to report crimes to the police, among others.
If the term “propaganda” in its earlier use was simply another word for “information,” it’s more helpful to use the term today to refer to that information which is truly biased or misleading— particularly the latter. Critics of any Hollywood-military collaboration are all too eager to lump together any and all types of military propaganda together when in fact there are important distinctions to be made.
To deride this effort as “military propaganda” is not only highly cynical, it’s also deeply misleading to lump Act of Valor in with indisputably much more noxious forms of actual military propaganda that ultimately serve some pretty nefarious ends.
Act of Valor is a realistic depiction of the Navy SEAL community and the types of highly specialized operations that the SEALs routinely carry out, and the movie in no way attempts to shield viewers from the inherent danger of conflict or the heartbreak associated with this demanding type of military service. Navy SEALs are in fact a rare breed of supremely disciplined and dedicated professionals who are committed to protecting our nation’s freedoms, and they “set the standard and lead by example.”That there are some critics who are so jaded and cynical to label Navy SEALs as being mere tools for “war propaganda” rather than a rarefied breed of individuals who have been trained to place supreme emphasis on virtues such as honor, courage, and commitment is really more of an indictment of their own ignorance than it is an accurate criticism of the movie.
If moviegoers who watch Act of Valor leave the theater awed, inspired, or even heaven forbid motivated to enlist, why should these critics be left aghast? Isn’t the purpose of some movies not merely to entertain, but also to inform and inspire? Instead of whining about so-called “recruitment propaganda,” we should be grateful that there are in fact individuals who become Navy SEALS and put it all on the line for our country’s defense. With Act of Valor, the producers have composed a pretty accurate representation of this elite brotherhood, not some watered down or misleading depiction of the Navy SEAL community.
On a separate note, there are many folks across the state who aren’t aware that the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is right here in Florida– in Fort Pierce, to be exact. The Museum was formally dedicated in 1985, the location of which is the actual birthplace of the Navy Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) Frogmen who were the forerunners to today’s Navy SEALs.
Not only will you encounter lots of veterans walking about the museum’s confines, the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is also an inspiring venue that will leave you a different person after you’ve left. You are likely to come away with a much better appreciation of the sacrifices that have been made by those select few who push the limits of human endurance and experience and have displayed the requisite mettle to become Navy SEALs.The museum was recently designated as St. Lucie County’s #1 Tourist Attraction, and I highly encourage that you visit it.