The Great Raid (2005) User Reviews

Small tale told in a big way

[eichelbergersports · 8/10 · 3 August 2005]

While Hollywood has gone after the Nazis and the European campaign in World War II over and over again, ad nauseam, little has been produced depicting the Pacific Theatre or the thousands of Americans and others who perished there.

In fact, only a handful of motion pictures have touched on the subject over the last two decades, namely Steven Spielberg's "Empire of the Sun," Terrance Malik's "The Thin Red Line," and the Nicolas Cage bomb, "Windtalkers." The best film in this genre was probably 1957's "Bridge On The River Kwai," which won Oscars for David Lean and Alex Guinness, among others, but that was almost 50 years ago.

Now John Dahl ("Rounders," "Joyride," the TV series "Tilt") has shed some light on a little-known rescue attempt in the waning days of the conflict in the Philippine Islands. "The Great Raid" is a fine little film, smart, patriotic and fairly historically accurate.

The film begins with a crisp narration (accompanied by actual film footage) of the quick successes of the Imperial Japanese Army in the days following Pearl Harbor. Gen. Douglas MacArthur - thanks to Roosevelt's decision to devote more to the European effort through the Lend-Lease to Churchill program - is forced to evacuate the Philippines and retreat to Australia.

Meanwhile, thousands of American troops are trapped by the swift-moving Japanese forces on the islands of Bataan and Corrigidor and are compelled to surrender. While WWII German brutality is everywhere in motion picture, few have addressed the stark horrors of the Bataan Death March. Even this movie skirts the terror with a simple voice-over in filling in the background story of a group of surviving prisoners held for over three years.

Receiving word of mass killing of American POWs by the Japanese, top brass in the Pacific orders a raid on a camp still behind enemy lines, led by Army Ranger Lt. Col. Mucci (Benjamin Bratt, "Law & Order) and Capt. Prince (James Franco, "Spiderman," "Spiderman 2").

Military minutia abounds with the planning and execution of the assault, which pits a handful of rangers against over 200 battle-hardened Japanese troops, led by sadistic Maj. Nagai (Motoki Kobiyashi).

The movie also shows the strong relationship between the Americans and Filipinos which was not the greatest in the years after the Spanish-American War, but was cemented against the common Nipponese enemy. Nice composition between rangers, prison camp and the occupied capital of Manilla, where civilian nurse Margaret Utinsky (Connie Nielson, "Gladiator," "One Hour Photo")is working with the Filipino underground resistance.

This is no "Saving Private Ryan," and the acting sometimes leaves a bit to be desired, but the strength of the story, the fact it was inspired by true events, and the historical importance of the film, make this one a must-see, even for casual fans of the genre. It will not make much money, but it was very important that it was made.

A Rare Movie Look At A Japanese POW Camp

[sddavis63 · 6/10 · 2 December 2013]

After the American evacuation of the Philippines following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, thousands of American servicemen were abandoned to the Japanese enemy, finding themselves facing brutal conditions in Japanese POW camps, and feeling forgotten by their country. "The Great Raid" is the portrayal of a rescue mission to save five hundred of those POWs at the Cabanatuan camp before they're killed by their captors, as the Americans begin to close in during the closing days of the war.

As far as I can recall there haven't been very many movies depicting conditions in Japanese POW camps. "Bridge On The River Kwai" springs to mind, but this is the only other one I think I've come across. It's always hard to judge the accuracy of how the enemy is portrayed in a movie like this. In this case, though, we do know that the Japanese were in fact brutal captors. Surrender was the ultimate dishonour, and prisoners, therefore, were seen as deserving of neither honour nor respect. The conditions portrayed in the camp, therefore, were believable and probably historically accurate.

The portrayal of camp conditions is one of the highlights of the movie. The other is the actual raid carried out. It was portrayed in great detail and, again, in a very believable way. The basic problem with this movie, though, is that it repeatedly seems to get bogged down. Frankly, when the movie strays from those two subjects it just isn't that interesting, and all the various sidebars end up making this longer than it needed to be. The character of Margaret Utinski (played by Connie Nielsen) was especially problematic. Utinski was a real person - and a winner of the Medal of Honour - but there are historical questions about her life, and there was certainly no romance involved in her actions, as is suggested throughout the movie.

Aside from Nielsen, the cast were fine, but in all honesty no one stood out to me as outstanding. As I've suggested, there are certainly aspects of this movie that make it worthwhile viewing, but it certainly can't be mistaken for a masterpiece. (6/10)

Solid traditional semi-historical war film

[mstomaso · 8/10 · 21 August 2005]

In terms of lasting value, I believe The Great Raid is one of the best films to have graced the screen this year. It's a straightforward war movie about unsung heroes. The story involves the basic facts of a Japanese POW camp which was liberated near the end of the Japanese occupation of the Phillipines. American soldiers and Phillipino resistance fighters teamed up to chance a daring raid on the heavily guarded camp. Fictional elements are added to the story, such as a surprisingly compelling love story, and believable explorations of friendships among both prisoners and fighters.

The script is good, the acting and editing superb, and the photography is very good. The film is violent, but does not wallow in flying guts and body parts as has been the recent fashion. Nothing flashy, nothing overwhelming, just solid craftsmanship. This is a film which is less concerned with making an impression than it is with telling a story, and I found that very refreshing. In my opinion, the film succeeds completely in telling its simple story and will likely be recognized for years to come as one of the better war films of recent times. All of the acting in this film is excellent, but watch for the standout performances from Marton Csokas, Joseph Fiennes, James Franco and Connie Nielsen.

A moving, inspiring film, but.........

[cecilelogan2000 · 17 September 2005]

My name is Cecilia and being from Manila this film is very personal to me because my grandfather sacrificed his life during WWII. According to eyewitness accounts, he was tied to a post, doused with kerosene and set on fire. I am watching this film to somehow pay tribute to him and those who selflessly gave up their lives to ensure a free and humane future for all of us. I felt though that the film underestimated what we Filipinos really went through during the war. It would have been just to include the other atrocities perpetuated by the Japanese: babies thrown in the air and caught with bayonets, women brutally raped and breasts carved out, or the massacre of approximately 100,000 unarmed and innocent civilians during the battle for the liberation of Manila on the first days of February 1945. Nevertheless, I am grateful for director John Dahl for shedding light on a chapter in our history that many people hardly know about , specially the present generation, The Bataan Death March.

Horrors of the Japs During WW II

[whpratt1 · 7/10 · 29 September 2007]

This word today about the JAPS sounds very cruel and offensive to the Japanese people, but during the War Years during WW II in the Pacific this word was used in most American Newspapers and spoken about during this horrible war with a nation that killed and raped many people in Nanking, China. In this film many of U.S. Service Men are trapped in a Japanese Concentration Camp who inflicted horrible tortures and slaughter hundreds of American Soldiers and women who are treated worse than animals. America makes every effort to find these lost prisoners of war and is horrified how the Japanese soldiers treated our people and make a great effort to free all these prisoners. However, it took many men and women lives in order to accomplish this mission. This is a great picture which still remembers all the men and women who gave their lives to fight back at the mistreatment of American soldiers. GREAT FILM.

Decent, but many imitating references to prior related movies

[BeneCumb · 6/10 · 15 December 2013]

The main strength of this movie is being based on real events and names. The plot, however, is uneven, with a few intertwined story-lines with unequal weight and smoothness: preparation for liberation, life in POW camp, resistance activities, liberation itself. Following all this, we see many similarities with approaches from e.g. The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Thin Red Line, Pearl Harbor - and without upgrade or distinctive twists... There are some protracted and arid scenes, tensions tend to decrease at times. The cast is even, both no prevailing performances; Marton Csokas as Capt. Redding and Connie Nielsen as Margaret Utinsky seemed most interesting to me.

All in all, an okay war movie, but no great experience. I would recommend the ones named above instead.

This movie touched me personally

[rohdil · 7/10 · 7 February 2006]

I really enjoyed this movie because I felt that I had a personal connection with the characters. I am half Filipino and understand Tagalog.

On my dad's side of the family, I have relatives that fought that war in the Philippies. On my mother's side, I have relatives who fought in the underground resistance. Many of them were beheaded for helping the Americans.

In addition, this film shows a very personal side to war. It shows the heart and the real reason for war, not the political or military benefits. This is a war movie, yes, but it is also a very touching story of friendship, love, and sacrifice.

Stimulating bit of History

[artzau · 7/10 · 25 February 2006]

For those of us who read Hampton Sides short history of the rescue, Ghost Soldiers, this film had a double meaning. The events depicted in the film are based on the heroic rescue of these men who had been held in captivator for the duration of WW2. While there may well have been some padding to heighten the romance, the fact of the matter remains that a small number of Rangers did indeed penetrate the jungle and rescue these men. While some of the reviewers may have wanted a more blood and guts, shoot 'em up kind of war film ala Rambo, the fact remains this is a testament to the sheer guts and determination of Col. Mucci and his rangers. Actors Bratt, Fiennes, Csonka and Franco turn in great performances as the principals in this event. As avid history buff of the Pacific theater of WW2, I found the film to be well done. Sure, there are some details that don't jibe with Sides's book, but so what? In the final analysis, Col. Mucci and his gutsy Rangers get their long overdue kudos and the spotlight of attention that they certainly earned.

Pleasantly surprised...

[eckmanmj-1 · 10/10 · 18 August 2005]

I knew almost nothing of this film before I saw it but based on a couple comments I had heard, I went with my dad to see it tonight.

Some people commented on how slow the movie is during the beginning, and although that is true, it is there to give you time to develop a story and actual care about the characters. This is definitely not a movie for people with near zero attention spans from the MTV Generation.

This movie also doesn't rely on gimmicks such as CGI or what I call "shaky camera syndrome" where the filmmakers insist on making the audience nauseous by running around with handy-cams (ala Bourne Supremacy).

I really enjoyed the story and thought all the roles were well acted. The final raid scene is amazing. They did a really good job of explaining exactly what they wanted to do beforehand and when it actually happened, you understood where everyone was running to and what they were trying to accomplish.

Excellent movie, and highly recommended. Definitely one of the best movies so far of the year, I'm just sad that almost no one has heard about it and the movie has received so little promotion. I doubt this picture will even make $20 million here.

And one more thing, I thought it was a very tasteful and respectful thing to do at the end during the credits where they showed archival footage of the real soldiers being rescued.

A Tribute with Little Exaggeration

[romanorum1 · 7/10 · 7 December 2017]

"The Great Raid" is about the most successful rescue mission in US military history. The opening monologue's newsreel footage provides a very brief summary of the Pacific Theater of Operations and Japanese anxiety as the tide of World War II changes. Shown are the terrible trials of the 1942 forced 60-mile Bataan death march, where hundreds of American soldiers and thousands of their Filipino allies perished in the Philippines. In 1944, the Japanese war ministry issued a directive that all prisoners of war (POW) were to be eliminated before rescue by the Americans. One horrible scene in particular demonstrates Japanese cruelty: the Palawan massacre, when 150 American POWs were forced into trenches, doused with gasoline and burned alive shortly after MacArthur's 1944 landing.

In late January 1945, the Americans made preparations to free the remaining 500 allied POWs from the Cabanatuan prison camp. The prisoners have been weakened and starved. There are 250 Japanese soldiers in the prison camp, and 1,000 more nearby. A quarter of a million fresh American troops were already on Luzon in the north, the largest Philippine island. Lt. Colonel Henry Mucci (Benjamin Bratt) is chosen to direct the Sixth Ranger Battalion (120 men) and Filipino allies through 30 miles of jungles in a rescue attempt. Mucci's chief strategist is Captain Bob Prince (James Franco), who plans (and leads) the campaign.

There is a major subplot: It involves plucky Nurse Margaret Utinsky (Connie Nielsen, based upon a real person) who smuggles medicines, especially quinine, into the POW camp. Her place of work is Manila Hospital, which harbors Japanese spies and informers. She was picked up, questioned, and tortured by the Japanese. A widow, she is romantically linked with the unfortunate Major Gibson (Joseph Fiennes), the highest ranking American soldier in the Cabanatuan camp. Debilitated, he suffers from malaria and cannot get quinine.

While the Sixth rangers are the best-trained force in the US Army, they have never been tested under fire. Meanwhile just before the raid Japanese Colonel Mori (Ken Senga) receives many barrels of fuel, and awaits orders from Tokyo to liquidate all of the Bataan prisoners. A single American airplane flies over the camp at twilight to give prisoners hope. After dark the fighting begins.

There are no spoilers here. The movie's promotion states right up that this is a story about a daring rescue mission. There is no mystery as to who won the world war. Rather, the film is about how the rescue was done. It is amazing that only two Americans died (The Filipinos sustained 21 casualties). The actual footage during the end credits was a real treat along with the uplifting soundtrack.

As much as this tale deserves to be told, some may consider the first part to be rather slow-moving. Once the raid actually begins, however, the movie does pick up. Overall, this is an uplifting message of redemption based on actual historical events, and there is very little exaggeration. The film is narrated by James Franco.

once we started laughing we couldn't stop

[dylanmcarthur · 1/10 · 6 December 2006]

Problems with this film:

1) Joseph Fiennes is supposed to be a great leader of men, the last bastion of American authority in a Japanese POW camp. But he's always sick, and the only guy he interacts with is his buddy. He writes his girlfriend that "my love for you is all that makes me strong, and that strength makes the men strong...", but he ignores everyone, and hardly ever gets out of bed!

2) The journey to the camp by the rescue team is drummed up as a glorious, seat-of-your-pants epic. And then suddenly they're just there, no problem. Actually, they set up a base half a mile from the camp and pore leisurely over maps, discussing their plan of attack.

3) The Japanese camp commandant becomes the Terminator at the end, darting out from underneath huts, smirking maniacally.

4) You keep hoping and praying you won't have to hear the letter Joseph Fiennes' girlfriend writes him. Then, at the end, the voice-over of the extraordinarily long, clichéd letter begins---and you realize that God doesn't exist.

5) Benjaminn Bratt as the hard-as-nails platoon leader. You wouldn't follow this man into a Baskin Robbins, let alone a Japanese POW camp.

6) Complete, entire lack of suspense.

Want a good war movie you may not have seen? Try Stanley Kubrick's "Paths of Glory". Leave this mulch-heap alone.

Good movie, good ensemble cast

[jackov · 9/10 · 13 August 2005]

Old fashioned movie with an ensemble cast instead of A list powered star who uses the movie as a vehicle to command top dollar is rare these days in Hollywood. That's why this movie worked. They assembled a great cast of fine, top notched actors together from the USA and the Philippines but no "superstar". They all portrayed their characters and meshed out the story without any modern day politicking and criticism. I don't know about you but that is truly refreshing in this day and age of movies.

I'd recommend this movie to anyone. Major criticisms seem to be that there's no deep complex characters and no protagonist. I think that is a positive for this movie because the POWs are the main characters themselves. The men and women just did what needed to be done for their countrymen and their country. There was deep motivation because someone had been scarred when they were 15 and thus acts this way. Most of the characters are real life people and you can't focus on one or two characters like in a fictional story that someone wrote.

It's too bad this movie won't do well at the office because it doesn't cater to the teens and their expendable income. The limited wide release also won't help it but I know for those who watch it they'll be touched. They'll know that there were and are sacrifices being made to ensure that the country they live in are safe and protected.

The Great Raid is a surprisingly effective war film that manages to work despite stereotypical characters and a well worn premise

[the_starving_critic · 7/10 · 24 August 2005]

The Great Raid ***

Here's a piece of advice when watching The Great Raid. Try and forget the flagrant jingoism and stereotypical characterizations on display and enjoy it for what it is.

And that is a good, old-fashioned war picture that, minus the violence, could easily have been made in the 1950s and would have been hailed as "a crackling, flagwaving war programmer".

Inspired by a true story, The Great Raid recounts what is recognized as the biggest single U.S. military rescue mission in history. A total of 511 American captives were rescued from a brutal Japanese POW camp in the Philippines following a highly coordinated surprise raid by U.S and local rebellion forces.

A narrated opening introduces us to the history of the U.S.-Japanese conflict. We then witness first hand the brutality of the Japanese army as they are instructed to eliminate all U.S prisoners as allied forces gain a foothold on the island.

The movie then spends its time intercutting between the plight of the POWs in the camp (led by Joseph Fiennes) and their abuse at the hands of their captors, and the efforts of a steely sergeant and captain (Benjamin Bratt and James Franco) to conduct a daring, 120-man rescue mission to get them out.

Despite the ultimate predictability of the story, it's definitely never boring. That's because director John Dahl (Rounders) wastes little time with extraneous character scenes and pares the story to its gritty essentials. He knows that most of us will have traveled this road before, and focuses on keeping the pacing tight and the suspense palpable.

There's a surprisingly strong female character played by Connie Nielson, as a foreign nurse helping to smuggle medicine into the camp. This forms the basis of an interesting, tense subplot that fits nicely into the main story and actually could have made a good little movie in itself.

There are a few missteps along the way though. The Japanese soldiers are portrayed as one dimensional, sadistic bullies whose sole purpose is to brutalize prisoners and play catch with American bullets. While I wasn't looking for richly developed characters a la Bridge on the River Kwai, the screenwriters could have at least have had one sympathetic Japanse character to identify with.

And with a movie with so many small roles, apart from the main characters it's hard to identify who's who, often resulting in audience whispers of "pssst...who's he again?".

But when the raid finally happens, it's a supremely well executed, adrenaline pumping sequence that only Hollywood can pull off with such thunderous, technical bravado.

When all is said and done, and the raid is over, the movie concludes with some emotional documentary footage of the real-life soldiers and prisoners who took part in the raid taken in the aftermath. In some ways this was more fascinating to watch than the dramatic re-enactment we've just witnessed. I guess it just reinforces the notion that while the real-life mission and the men who took part truly were great, this movie version is merely good.

Very disappointed

[richtaylor · 3/10 · 2 September 2005]

Maybe nobody commenting on this movie has read the book "Ghost Soldiers", so they really don't know the TRUE story behind this raid, but this movie was pretty dreadful. Some facts left out or barely addressed: 1)There were several P.O.W. camps liquidated and there was a real urgency to get to this camp quickly. 2) The march to the camp was a great ordeal with Japanese reinforcements growing in the surrounding areas almost hourly. 3)They had no recon of the camp itself and it was the ALAMO SCOUTS who reconned the camp at the last minute with great risks to all of those involved. 4)The raid was postponed 1 day because of said recon (causing great consternation to all involved) 5)There was a turf war brewing among the 2 philipino resistance leaders (both wanted in on the raid) and Musci showed great diplomatic skills in solving this last second problem. 5)The raid itself was a 100 times more harrowing and exciting then what the movie showed, they had to low crawl in daylight up to the wires and was nearly detected by the Japanese several times. 6)The ordeal back after the raid was barely mentioned, few of these prisoners could walk and the enemy was on their tails the whole way back, causing the raiders to doubt their chance even returning. 7)The tears and gratitude of the rescued was so poorly portrayed in the movie. 8)To a man, the Rangers wanted so badly to go and complete this mission, the debt they felt they owed to these prisoners and the emotions they showed at being a part of this great mission was not shown properly. I urge everyone to read the book.

Superb War Movie Done Right

[odinz9 · 6 August 2005]

THE GREAT RAID does everything right, on all levels, especially by framing itself with real footage from those times which, in some cases, features the actual events and participants. The acting is uniformly excellent, the pacing is flawless, and the historical context does not short-change any aspect of the story, be it cruelty and horror in war or bravery and nobility in suffering or even dignity and honor in combat. This is in many ways a movie made the way they used to make movies, but without the rah-rah patriotism or sneering social commentary. What it brings home simply by presenting the story in a straightforward manner is what we used to be capable of, what we once were and stood for, and what we fought against, and why. To be reminded of this is sobering, if not harrowing. Definitely one of the best movies my family and I have seen in a long time, it's recommended whole- heartedly for everyone. And Benjamin Bratt turns in a mature, restrained performance that marks him for great things on the big screen.

Good for a B-Grade Movie

[ghasl1 · 7/10 · 21 March 2012]

This was a good movie to watch I recommend it if you know what the story is about or even read books about it, I knew they weren't going to go into every single detail of what happened because it would be too much to put in the movie. Although it won't be close to the real thing with gore, brutality and historical accuracy you have to consider the movie went for over two hours and was made on a budget you should know this beforehand when you watch the movie don't expect it to be like Band of Brothers or Saving Private Ryan.

Don't be discouraged by critics if they say its boring, in my opinion it was the opposite and the film was engaging all the way through dialogue and action with a steady pace. I don't expect the acting or portrayal to be Oscar winning but it wasn't so contrived as having an American teaching filipinos of "this is how it's done" with an American flag flying in the background in the end. So not for propaganda use. They didn't ignore the filipino support in the daring raid and at least showed some acknowledgement to all the war heroes, even at the end of the movie with a dedication.

Even if the movie flopped in the box office nobody watches war movies but it's there if people have a pique interest and its better than most B-Grade movies put out today. If you liked or disliked the Pacific Series you should watch The Great Raid afterwards.

functional war movie but scattered among various plots

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 13 November 2014]

In the notorious POW camp at Cabanatuan in occupied Philippines, the Japanese hold about 500 American prisoners who had survived the Bataan Death March. The Japanese are getting orders to liquidate the prisoners. Over the course of 5 days starting at Jan 27, 1945, Lieutenant Colonel Mucci and Captain Prince (James Franco) lead the 6th Ranger Battalion along with the Alamo Scouts and Filipino guerrillas to liberate the prison camp some 30 miles behind enemy lines. The movie switches back and forth between the rescue, people like Margaret Utinsky (Connie Nielsen) who is a nurse in occupied Manila, and the prison camp where men led by Major Gibson (Joseph Fiennes) suffer under Japanese brutality.

It's an old fashion traditional war movie. It does stray into melodrama from time to time. It's also scattered among the various character sideplots. The scale of production is just below epic. There are a lot of good actors at work. However that does make me question why Benjamin Bratt is cast as the soldier in charge of the rescue. That seems to be the more important role and a more established actor like Fiennes should be doing it. This would work better if the movie picks between a prison movie or a rescue movie and put Fiennes in the lead of either. The final rescue action is done well and the movie is generally good but not great.

The Greatest Rescue in U.S.Military History

[Bogmeister · 7/10 · 22 April 2006]

Late January, 1945, World War II: at the point at which this film begins, the horrible toll of war has already happened - the infamous Bataan Death March, in which thousands & thousands of American & Filipino prisoners eventually died. The film, from director Dahl, doesn't shy away from impressing this point, including showing an example of Japanese military brutality in the early going - burning some prisoners alive. From the outset, we seem to be instructed, or reminded, that war is not a matter of just heroism, exciting action scenes, or battle strategy - though this is how it culminates in this particular true story of rescue. But the majority of the film concentrates on the brutality; it's not a pleasant picture of what the POWs endure, nor should it be. Likewise, there is a parallel storyline taking place in the nearby city of Manila, controlled by the Japanese, where members of an underground who smuggle medicine to prisoners are all targets of the oppressors. Quick gangster-style executions are not unusual.

The aforementioned death march hangs like a pall over all the proceedings and the American military, which had ordered the soldiers to surrender, thereby inadvertently causing all their eventual deaths, seem compelled (or shamed, depending on how you see it) to mount some unusual rescue attempt of about 500 prisoners. It's mentioned that this plan has no real strategic significance, no pragmatic value; it's a decision of the heart, not the head. Specially-trained army rangers form the unit which will carry out this raid, all anxious and willing to do what is right. This is about glory all right, but not the kind we may think; it's not about publicity, cameras, medals, and so on. It's about the personal glory each soldier will feel inside, knowing he did something right. This is spelled out by Bratt's Lt. Colonel Mucci; Bratt, with whom I was familiar with for lightweight characters, surprised me in this picture. He seems to play older than he is, a man who had chosen to be a warrior and leader of men. His speech to his rangers before the mission was true-to-life and inspiring at the same time. Franco plays the captain under his command in charge of the strategy and the mission.

Besides the expected interest in seeing these historical events play out, this film can be instructional, as well. I'd forgotten, for example, about the strong bond forged between the Americans and the Filipinos (the guerrilla fighters) during this struggle against the Japanese oppressors. When some might question why it's necessary to relive such past events in the context of today's completely revamped modern world (why bring up past hates, past tragedy?), it also relives & reminds of past alliances and mutual respect. Of course, I doubt any descendants of the death march victims would want such history ignored or forgotten. The DVD I acquired was packaged with the book by William Breuer.

Better Than Average War Film - The Great Raid

[arthur_tafero · 6/10 · 8 January 2019]

Ben Bratt is a television actor who had a few minor roles in major films. He is not strong enough to carry a lead role on the big screen. The supporting cast, however, is very strong, as is the writing and direction of the film. The archival material is first-rate. The production values and subplots for the rescue of these men is also impeccable. So this is a much better film about WW 2 than most other films made after 1950. The problem with most WW 2 films is authenticity and the air of uncertainty or gloom. We get some of that in this film, but hardly any in the vast majority of other WW 2 films made after 1950. Saving Private Ryan has that gloom, as does Bridge Over the River Kwai and Stalag 17. This film is in that tradition. Highly recommended for a much better insight to the war in the Pacific.

Very well done and educated snapshot of a country at war

[mercybell · 10/10 · 12 August 2005]

This was a great film, and a nice escape to reality from all the superhero, fantastical, and over-hyped movie star fare we've gotten this summer.

The biggest accolade I can offer this flick is that it sticks to history in ways rarely seen in Hollywood films, and even then it's not dry or boring, not inaccessible to those not particularly versed in history. It shows beautifully how exciting and thrilling real history can be. The liberties it takes aren't too offensive (I can't say much without spoiling the story, but although the "romance" in this film didn't exist, it's not particularly gratuitous or hard to believe, and there were many wartime romances between people who met in the occupied Philippines), but on a whole they valiantly stuck to the stories. It doesn't revel in clichés or surrender to the cheap thrill of pyrotechnics, which so many war films do. Since it looks to true events for inspiration, there's a happy lack of predictibility and "been there, done that". Not to say that there are any talk-of-the-summer plot twists, but it keeps you on your toes because you're dealing with life, and is often surprising. The film brings you down to the level of its characters, and it doesn't treat you like an outsider.

As a Filipino American and history buff, I was thrilled and proud to see so many Filipino actors in the film (particularly the wonderful -- and gorgeous -- Cesar Montano) and to finally see this little known but mammoth part of WWII recalled on such a public scale. The film takes place over 5 days in January, as the Rangers prepare to take the camp. Its three interconnected story lines -- the prisoners in Cabanatuan, the Rangers, and the underground movement in Manila (including a nurse played by Nielsen who smuggles in Quinine to prisoners) -- give a fairly accurate and well rounded portrait of the landscape of war in the Philippines, although by the end of the film you do feel as if you've only seen the tip of the iceberg.

The acting is lovely. There aren't any "Oscar" scenes or the like, just solid ensemble acting, and the leads, Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, Cesar Montano, and Connie Nielsen, are excellent for what they're given. The writing doesn't try to over-dramatise or "soapify" anything, it stays level headed and just plays. It felt a lot like a less ridiculous "Gettysburg" or a much tamer "Black Hawk Down" or a much MUCH shorter "The Longest Day". Surprisingly, for a war film, there are relatively few "what I'm here for" speeches, which is refreshing. The ones it does have aren't particularly irksome or obnoxious. It's not particularly violent (except for the unnerving opening scene -- a recreation of the Palawan massacre -- and one scene in the camp, I'd have given it a PG-13 rating), but it IS disturbing. And although they hardly began to show the full extent of the atrocities committed, the point is made clear, heartrendingly I might add. Two scenes, involving Filipino underground workers and another at the camp, had me in tears.

Honestly, this is NOT for people looking for a testosterone fueled action flick. The action is strictly historical (except for a hand to hand fight at the end which I doubt happened). At times it feels like a documentary, and other times it's like watching a memoir. Neither is this film the "rah rah" flag waving fest the advertising makes it out to be (thank goodness). In fact it pays great homage to the work of the Philippine people, underground resistance (a portion of the film which seemed a bit out of place in the film but which had me enamored and on edge), and guerilla fighters, all of which touched me deeply. As a Hollywood studio film goes, it's an academic, nearly blow by blow accounting of the events surrounding the raid on the Cabanatuan prison camp, but because of the nature of the story and not because of empty manipulation, it is intense, inspiring, and exciting. Don't expect the next "Paths of Glory" or "Bridge on the River Kwai" or that calibre of film-making, but I hope that this does well because in its own way it's different from so much of the mindnumbing junk that is out there, it attempts to portray a war story smartly, chose to tell a story that doesn't spell out big money, and without being overbearingly in-your-face patriotic, it pays homage to and shares the experiences of the American and Filipino men and women who endured the hell that was World War II in the Philippines.

Slow, but never boring

[BroadswordCallinDannyBoy · 7/10 · 20 November 2007]

I have noticed that war movies tend to fall in one out of three categories. There movies that show how boring war can be between violent outbursts of combat. There are movies that show how horrible war is with realistic depiction of wounds and combat. And there are action movies that use the backdrop of war for large scale pyrotechnics. "The Great Raid" however sidesteps this and shows something completely different. Instead of these loud battles of bouts of boredom we are shown how a carefully planned strategy is thought up and finally executed in the film's most exciting sequence. Seeing war as a precisely calculated battle of wits and nerves is not something that the big screen has not shown us too often.

However, this film, which runs at over two hours, has a few too many subplots. Well, maybe not too many subplots since they are all clearly relevant, but the screen time they are given versus the screen time of the soldiers performing the raid, makes this a movie with essentially no subplots, but three parallel plots. Thus the suspense of the upcoming raid is largely obscured. We are only told that the soldiers have thirty miles of enemy patrolled territory to cross, but aren't quite shown. The constant nerve wracking threat of discovery isn't really done justice here and that thirty miles seems to go by rather smoothly. Though seeing that the scenes of the soldiers creeping their way through patrolled enemy territory are cut out in order to show us the two parallel plots - one showing the inside of the prison camp and the other the smuggling of medicine into it - there is enough here to keep the viewer interested.

In the end, the film is more than worth it and easily could have been much worse. For instance, the film is not just about the courage of American soldiers, but the Filipino underground resistance is shown in the same fair light. This makes for good historical accuracy and surprisingly convincing military accuracy. So even if the suspense is a bit lax, "The Great Raid" has enough of what is needed for a compelling story from the books of military history. --- 7/10

Rated R for violence. Ages 13+

a bad movie trying to make you think it's a good one.

[spirit9912 · 1/10 · 7 May 2006]

This is a movie which fails on all levels: Directing, Actors, Storyboard, Music, Camera What a waste of money to produce such a movie.

Directing: this is the worst directing I have seen for years; a good story wasted with bad directing, the people whether in the POW camp or in the camp of the ranger supposedly to free the Prisoners of War (POW) are all depressive; as director you show the clash between the two parties, one who are the heroes rescuing others, full of motivation, vs those in the prison - but no, this main theme is wasted.

Actors: James Franco from Spiderman 1+2, bad actor, unclear speaking, uninspired, other actors are either 2nd or 3rd class actors, just bad. With a bad director those figures never deliver anything convincing, those who made the movies have no clue of human behavior in such circumstances they tried to portray. Captains or Ltl, all are portrays with hollow personalities. The prisoners look sad, depressed, but it never touches me, why, because I don't believe them - good actors convince me.

Storyboard: good moments are wasted for nothing, the whole happens at sunset, and then during the dark night - near sunset they rub on the ground toward the POW camp, after the sun has set (not showing the slowness of the actual sunset), all of the sudden it's dark, and people watch of their watches for the start of the raid, the entire suspense of getting closer to the POW camp during sunset is not used to show the challenge in that, neither we are shown really how the troops actually reach the fences, because we just see darkness . . . I rarely have seen such a bad storyboard, where moments to portray depth is wasted, instead banalities are captured on celluloid or digital hard-disk.

Music: it's nice, but it's way too dramatic for the bad performance of the movie, and the music is completely out of sync of what's happening on the screen; heroic music meanwhile the raid is over, but all the prisoners still have to walk to the next village, instead of a sunrise, it's still dark, and the whole situation anything but clear, we hear fanfare - man, I can't believe how misplaced music can be.

Camera: this cameraman I would have fired after 10 mins, this is a blunt beginner, there are no closeups, none, people are seen like from distance, no emotion, no intimacy, that's what the entire movie is lacking, it is not convincing. The camera shows and hovers around where nothing is to be shown, great moments (from the storyboard) are not capture, missed, wasted.

To summarize: this is a bad movie in disguise - and those soldiers whose story should be told are ashamed of such a bad movie supposedly glorify their "raid". This story is worth to be told, but NOT THIS WAY.

Filipinos Fight Side by Side for Freedom and U.S. Democracy

[tcbautista · 10/10 · 16 August 2005]

The Great Raid ----- August 12, 2005, a review by Teresita "Terry" Bautista

Berkeley, CA – In the near-empty Shattuck Cinema, I gave myself the birthday gift of watching The Great Raid on opening night. This film, a chronicle of early 1945 events in The Philippines, has been highly anticipated in the U.S. Filipino Community, mostly by those of us who are fighting to achieve full equity for our Veteranos.

My mom, aunt and uncle joined me, as the initial documentary footage validated the historical scenes of war and resistance, as if you were there over 60 years ago. As expected, my mom made constant commentary throughout the film, as the scenes brought back, often frightening, memories. Anxiously, she recounted in soft whispers of her bout with malaria, which meant sure death, until her father decided she would not be left behind, as they ran every day to escape the Japanese. Like the film's prisoner of war, quinine was the saving prescription for my mom's malaria-stricken body.

The Great Raid is an army flick, similar to the scores I've seen in the past 50 years. Less melodramatic, though powerful in its interpretation of the human condition during war, the movie takes you into a POW camp where 500 detainees eke out survival under the Japanese flag. The acting was understated and reflected deep agony and despair without the flair of cinema-edged bravado. No John Waynes or Anthony Quinns in this version. The casting was done with a sense of nuance for each of the heroic personas.

The subplots were gripping. The valiant efforts of the underground that smuggled medicine to the ill and dying prisoners; the array of authority figures in the military who made heart-rending decisions about strategy and tactics; the rescue mission that galvanized a unit of 120 special rangers who had yet to see the extreme fires of combat; the unlikely relationships that bound survivors in their fate.

Some high points of the painful, two and a half- hour mendacity tensed you to the edge of your seat ----- the brutality of the Japanese, not withstanding the execution of ten prisoners for one escapee; the burning funeral of a hundred Filipinos, many of them women and children villagers, near the Cabanatuan Prison; the spectacular, surprise invasion of the Japanese camp; the courage of the Filipino Guerrilas and their exemplary warrior spirits led by Captain Pajota, as their steeled defense of a bridge held the Japanese and their tanks captive and effectively severed an avenue of retaliations to the explosions and attack in their war camp.

The sacrifices of the fighting forces to liberate the Philippines were stark and many. The younger generations, especially those of Filipino descent, are urged to see what their homeland heroes were made of. This long war was waged in face-to-face, hand-to-hand combat with bravery for duty and beyond.

I went to see this as a way of honoring my dad, a U.S. Army private, who survived WWII, found his war bride, and fathered his first-born. I have deep respect and admiration for those like my Pop, who still live to tell their stories, who today are still struggling for full recognition of shed blood, sweat, and tears, at a time where their homeland joined the world's battlefields.

WWII Filipino Veterans soldiers deserve Full Equity Now!

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What a Great Story

[cdelacroix1 · 7/10 · 6 August 2005]

If you want a great *Story* check this movie out.

To me the the most appealing feature of a strong historical film is the Story within the Great Story that is the historical setting: in this case, WWII. The Story of the Raid, the Love Story (I very much agree, Nielsen is excellent!), the Comradeship Stories both within the Camp and within the Raiding party, are to me painted vividly and appealingly. The weaving of these Stories leading up to that last action-packed half hour ... the Raid Story Proper ... worked well for me. I mean, from the very beginning, we know there's going to be a Raid, and it's a helluva thing to anticipate. And here we are building up to it and building up to it through these interwoven Stories ... and by the time the Raid itself blazes onto the screen, I think both my emotions and my anxiety had been plowed and sown and grown to an acute point that plain old blew me away when It Finally Happened.

On a different note: I very much liked the cinematography. The colors, ranging from dry browns to burnished golds to field grays to dull greens, were to me very, very evocative, and gave the whole movie a flavor that fit the Stories very well indeed. Something especially about some of those scenes that were colored somewhere between those old time brown-and-white photos and modern tints and colors ... well, they were to me just wonderful. The device of starting the movie with B&W and closing it with B&W is sort of an old device now, but works very well indeed for me.

One more thing: I very much like the emotions of this movie. WWII movies following Saving Private Ryan seem to echo some of the early post-war flicks in combining lots of Action with lots of Emotion of a very basic sort: Horror (at Atrocity), Anger, Comeraderie, Love (of Man & Woman), Patriotism, Hope, Fear, Anxiety, Anticipation, Excitement, Longing ... especially Longing for Doing Things that Matter. These are the kinds of feelings I expect to find in good Stories within Great Stories of War and History. If you do as well, check out this movie: you won't be disappointed.

read the books, skip the movie

[fjohnnson · 1/10 · 17 September 2006]

I found this movie totally unwatchable and carelessly produced, directed, and acted. It struck me as being completely, almost laughably inauthentic as to time and place, and bordering on farce in its presentation of Americans and other nationalities who lived and fought during that time.

If any American soldier as depicted in this film were somehow transported back to Mucci's unit in 1945, he would be seen to be an alien from another planet. American soldiers in 1945 did not look, speak, dress or interact the way the actors in this movie do. Maybe this is some comfort to American audiences with short attention spans and even less education (or exposure, even to recent American history), but it left me wondering if the story of this raid will ever be made into a movie for grown-ups.

No American soldiers looked or talked or interacted in 1945 the way these actors portrayed them; they did not line up and sound off like soldiers in a 21st century Army recruiting ad, and they did not have perfect teeth, perfect hair, and perfect Los Angeles non-accented diction or speech patterns straight out of this year's crop of war films and television dramas.

Those islands were hot and dirty and crawling with bugs, and as far as I know there were no dry-cleaning facilities nearby to keep everyone's uniforms so clean and squared away. Chow was not sufficient to build up and maintain the body types we see in the movie, and I'll bet there weren't any gyms or circuit training equipment nearby either - or "juice" to keep these athlete-soldiers so cut-looking. There was lousy food, worse coffee, lots of heat, lots of bugs and plenty of cigarettes.

Soldiers were scrawny, dirty, and scared most of the time, and to say so takes nothing away from their courage and bravery under fire. But it was simply impossible to suspend belief at any time during this movie because elements (or all) of every scene I was able to watch looked and sounded false and forced.

There've been plenty of very good books about this raid and those Rangers, any one of which is a better investment of time and money than The Great Raid.