Some smarts help this film from being a total waste of time, but its boys club attitude renders it just a bad TOP GUN clone.
Lt. James Curran (Michael Biehn, TERMINATOR) is the leader of a Navy SEALs unit, which also includes cocky hotshot Dale Hawkins (Charlie Sheen, PLATOON). Some Lebanese terrorists have stolen some U.S. stinger missiles, which they use to shot down airplanes. So Curran looks up reporter Claire Varrens (Joanne Whalley, WILLOW), who is a Middle East expert and has contacts that could help Curran recover the missing rockets. Curran’s team also includes Chief Billy Graham (Dennis Haysbert, FAR FROM HEAVEN) and Dane (Bill Paxton, FRAILTY).
When the story is dealing with its terrorist plot line, it’s intriguing. Especially, in hindsight, how the SEALs rush into Middle East countries and kidnap people. This creates an eerie feel in the age of Guantanamo and secret prisons.
The film is at its worst when it’s trying to act with its male lower regions. Too much of the boys will be boys stuff makes the film seem childish. That stuff worked to some degree in TOP GUN because they were rookies, here it just plays as silly. And when Chief is pulled away from his wedding for a mission, we just roll our eyes. I mean, is this the only Navy SEALs team the U.S. has?
The performances are okay at best. The direction from Lewis Teague (CUJO) at least keeps things moving, however humor is injected in places that just kills the tension. Curran’s loopy reaction to morphine is a shining example. NAVY SEALS treads water for most of its running time then sinks with an ending that tries to have too much fun to be taken seriously.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
