Could someone please explain why Act of Valor, a “very patriotic” Navy SEALS film costarring actors with zero name value (i.e., not even on an indie-cred Spirit Awards level), written by the author of 300 and directed by a couple of stuntmen (Scott Waugh and Mike “Mouse” McCoy, a.k.a. “the Bandito Brothers”) would be of any interest to discerning moviegoers like myself? Because it feels like a something made for machismo whores and mutton-brained righties and captive audiences on military bases.

Honestly? It sounds to me like a film that could be double-billed next year with The Expendables at Quentin Tarantino‘s New Beverly Cinema. Is it some kind of rah-rah recruitment thing? It’s in the can and was shot under the radar in Cambodia and the Mexico-Caribbean area with the backing of the military. The lead roles are played by actual Navy SEALS so it’s obviously about some kind of commando operation…big deal.

Deadline‘s Mike Fleming is reporting that Ryan Kavanaugh‘s Relativity Media will pay a $13 million minimum guarantee and a $30 million p & a commitment for this thing. It will open on 3000 screens, Fleming reports, on either Veteran’s Day weekend in November or on President’s Day weekend in February 2012.