Act of Valor, the movie in which real active duty US Navy SEALs take centerstage, have hit theaters in the US. This is a movie that is very much anticipated and is expected to take the Box Office Weekend, given the popularity of the unit these days, everyone wants to see them in action, even if it's at the silverscreen, and that includes us airsoft players.

How did the movie fare? Almost every review from news sites agree on one thing: great action, but acting leaves much to be desired. Others see it as a propaganda or recruitment film not knowing that originally the US Navy thought of making a documentary until the Bandito Brothers proposed to turn in into a full length movie. Perhaps it's too much to expect from the operators in terms of acting, but they make up for the action they provide as they have real world training and experience, and the production team providing great effects and sound scoring.

I haven't watched it yet, when the opportunity arrives, I will indeed, and I would recommend this movie to every airsoft player, acting skills aside. There will be people who will nitpick every bit about the movie, and with this in mind, I will be more focused on the tactics they employed to provide the action scenes, and of course the gears they used for the geardo in me. I am not film critic and I'll just keep my opinion of the movie overall to myself.

One thing for those who are into video making using DSLRs, this is one of the first big screen movies that was primarily shot with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. That will excite Optimus Prime.

So how did the reviews go? Here are some excerpts from selected links:

Breach Bang Clear (warning: profanity and also comes with a Q&A): Act of Valor: the Truth According to the Duo

Now, let’s be clear. There are some awkward parts. These are seasoned operators, not actors and occasionally that comes though in the dialogue. Some parts are more awkward than others (like one scene that looks like it could be filmed in Danny’s—which if you’re curious DOES have the best burgers anywhere) but it’s not enough to detract from the rest of the movie. It’s also not as noticeable when they’re not focused in on the talking (if that makes sense). Once they’re moving (and operational) that slight hitch in their stride goes away. You can definitely tell they were more comfortable in the action sequences than just waiting around waiting on close-ups.

Reuters: "Act of Valor" is perfect Navy Seals recruitment film

As directed by feature first-timers Mike "Mouse" McCoy and Scott Waugh and written by Kurt Johnstad ("300"), "Valor" hits all the expected beats for a blow-'em-up film. It flits from one exotic location to the next, powerful weapons are fired, and there are speedy vehicular chases and mighty explosions, both on land and on water.

USA Today: 'Act of Valor' has amazing action

While the film's distinguishing element is the daring missions pulled off by real-life soldiers, the cinematography polishes their efforts to a glossy sheen. Seemingly inspired by classic war films like Platoon, the stunning photography and evocative musical score compensate somewhat for the acting deficiencies.

Sacramento Bee: 'Act of Valor'

In "Act of Valor," there's not an ounce of emotion when the SEALs deliver their dialogue, which drains all life out of what should be very powerful scenes. Had this movie been shot as a documentary, they would have said their own words. The eight real SEALs who star - but are never named because they still get deployed - are so uncomfortable trying to recite the written dialogue that this may be the only time these elite fighters have ever sweat.

Newsday: Review: 'Act of Valor' has better action than acting

Less convincing are the SEALs themselves, who seem alive in the heat of mock-battle (the ammunition on screen is live) but can't pull off anything like emotion or even casual chitchat. If any star is born here, it's the twinkly-eyed SEAL called Senior Chief, whose friendly-to-furious interrogation of a Russian smuggler (played by an actor, Alex Veadov) is one of the film's liveliest and funniest scenes.

CNN: Review: 'Act of Valor' is an action movie with a gimmick

Whatever you make of its reactionary politics, at least the action scenes are choreographed and filmed by Shane Hurlbut with a level of coherence that's become rare in this genre -- even if the elaborate raids and skirmishes look more like a series of war games than actual combat. For a start, all the high-tech toys and gizmos actually work the way they're supposed to.