If you have ever watched an action movie with a Veteran I am sure you have heard something like, “F#&k that, it doesn’t look like that”, or “Really?! A giant ball of fire…”. On a regular basis hollywood either unintentionally gets action scenes wrong, or they just don’t care enough to get them right. With so many combat Veterans readily available, it’s hard to understand how this trend goes on. This could be said for a lot of fields: firefighter, police, contractors, nurses, doctors, etc, etc.
Is it really that big of a deal? Well I always found it strange when a movie geared towards the Veteran/Hunter/Outdoor/etc didn’t bother with authenticity. I mean, if you were trying to market towards baseball fans wouldn’t you get all the details about baseball correct? I also think it is a matter of respect. Especially when you are attempting to depict events that have actually taken place. I get that there is, and always will be, a market for cheesy action movies, hell I like cheesy actions movies also. However, when trying to create an authentic experience, the attention to detail is paramount.
Lets take a look at three examples: claymore, rocket (RPG/AT4), and grenade. Then we will see how they actually look.
Hollywood Claymore: (Video from the movie Swordfish, retrieved from Movieclips YouTube channel).
Hollywood Grenade: (Video from the movie Missing in Action, retrieved from Movieclips YouTube channel).
Hollywood Rocket: (Video from the movie White House Down, retrieved from Movieclips coming soon YouTube channel).
If you have ever watched an action movie with a Veteran I am sure you have heard something like, “F#&k that, it doesn’t look like that”, or “Really?! A giant ball of fire…”. On a regular basis hollywood either unintentionally gets action scenes wrong, or they just don’t care enough to get them right. With so many combat Veterans readily available, it’s hard to understand how this trend goes on. This could be said for a lot of fields: firefighter, police, contractors, nurses, doctors, etc, etc.
Is it really that big of a deal? Well I always found it strange when a movie geared towards the Veteran/Hunter/Outdoor/etc didn’t bother with authenticity. I mean, if you were trying to market towards baseball fans wouldn’t you get all the details about baseball correct? I also think it is a matter of respect. Especially when you are attempting to depict events that have actually taken place. I get that there is, and always will be, a market for cheesy action movies, hell I like cheesy actions movies also. However, when trying to create an authentic experience, the attention to detail is paramount.
Lets take a look at three examples: claymore, rocket (RPG/AT4), and grenade. Then we will see how they actually look.
Hollywood Claymore: (Video from the movie Swordfish, retrieved from Movieclips YouTube channel).
Hollywood Grenade: (Video from the movie Missing in Action, retrieved from Movieclips YouTube channel).
Hollywood Rocket: (Video from the movie White House Down, retrieved from Movieclips coming soon YouTube channel).
Now here we have some good old 11B’s (Infantry) operating out of FOB RamRod, in Afghanistan. The NCOs are conducting training on the claymore, AT4, and hand grenade. (Video was filmed by SGT Canaan Radcliffe, retrieved from Daily Military Defense & Archive YouTube channel).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1v1ZyT4GMo
We can immediately see major differences, at least I hope you can. This article won’t convince Hollywood to change its ways. However, I hope it can help you better understand the Veteran (firefighter, police, contractors, nurses, doctors, etc, etc.) in your life. Maybe after seeing this, you could even agree with him/her.
In closing I would like to mention that there are some movies which were extremely accurate, and deserve praise for their efforts. Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan, Jarhead, Full Metal Jacket (boot camp anyway), Black Hawk Down (depiction of soldiers), American Sniper (transition(s) home), all did a great job. Some of these movies captured a part, and others captured the entire experiences authentically.
Did I miss any realistic action/war movies? Let me know about it in the comment section below.
As someone who’s seen what happens when the truth is distorted, I know how unfair it feels when those who’ve sacrificed the most lose their voice. At SOFREP, our veteran journalists, who once fought for freedom, now fight to bring you unfiltered, real-world intel. But without your support, we risk losing this vital source of truth. By subscribing, you’re not just leveling the playing field—you’re standing with those who’ve already given so much, ensuring they continue to serve by delivering stories that matter. Every subscription means we can hire more veterans and keep their hard-earned knowledge in the fight. Don’t let their voices be silenced. Please consider subscribing now.
One team, one fight,
Brandon Webb former Navy SEAL, Bestselling Author and Editor-in-Chief
Barrett is the world leader in long-range, large-caliber, precision rifle design and manufacturing. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world.
PO Box 1077 MURFREESBORO, Tennessee 37133 United States
Scrubba Wash Bag
Our ultra-portable washing machine makes your journey easier. This convenient, pocket-sized travel companion allows you to travel lighter while helping you save money, time and water.
Our roots in shooting sports started off back in 1996 with our founder and CEO, Josh Ungier. His love of airguns took hold of our company from day one and we became the first e-commerce retailer dedicated to airguns, optics, ammo, and accessories. Over the next 25 years, customers turned to us for our unmatched product selection, great advice, education, and continued support of the sport and airgun industry.
COMMENTS
There are on this article.
You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article.