The Great Raid is simply a GREAT movie that shows the courage of all the troops that fought during War World II through the story of a group of soldiers who face overwhelming odds to rescue POWs from a Japanese camp.
Set in the Philippines in 1945, the movie was directed by John Dahl and stars Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, Joseph Fiennes and Connie Nelson.
The film’s plot follows the true story of the 6th Ranger Battalion, which was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Mucci (Bratt) as they mounted a rescue mission to free more than 500 American prisoners. The Rangers have to travel more than 30 miles behind the Japanese lines just to reach the camp, and then join with the Philippine resistance to launch a raid against the Cabanatuan Japanese POW camp.
In addition to telling the story of the raid, the movie also follows the life of the prisoners, and that of the resistance that tried to aid the captured soldiers with medicine and food.
Dahl tells this story through the day-to-day struggle of the prisoners and the “romance” of Fiennes, a prisoner, and Nelson, a nurse with the resistance. Another plot Dahl adds is the fact that the prisoners are unknowingly facing execution at the hands of the Japanese – who know the Americans will soon liberate the area and fear war crime charges.
The movie slowly builds the tensions of the various plots as the Rangers approach the camp, and then jumps into a several minutes of all out action as the soldiers launch their assault on the camp. The actual battle only last a few minutes, but the amount of build up pays off, and the short time limit of the fight adds to the realistic feeling of the movie.
The Great Raid shows the courage of the soldiers in World War II
Every actor in the movie does an excellent job in their roles, and Dahl’s handling of the story and the pace make the film extremely rewarding to any fan of war movies or history.
Along with the other prisoners, Fiennes’ performance helps shed light on a part of War World II that hasn’t seen much exposure in film, and isn’t as well known by most people. Bratt and Franco do a good job at showing the courage that the soldiers had even against great odds, and the pride they took in doing something they knew was right.
With most of the action taking place towards the end of the movie and the fast paced final battle, the movie is a little lighter on the amount of gore compared to some recent World War II movies – such as Saving Private Ryan. Also, the overall feel of the movie seems to be a bit of a throw back to some classic war movies – such as The Bridge Over the River Kwai or The Longest Day. This style of filming also helps separate the movie from other recent “big explosion” war films like Pearl Harbor or even Windtalkers.
Bratt and Franco capture the spirit of the past war films
Bratt seems to capture some of the onscreen characteristics of past screen veterans, like John Wayne, while Franco adds some of the quieter performances seen in recent war films.<!--page-->
The two-disc director’s cut of the movie comes loaded with special features that history buffs and those who want to know more about the history behind the movie will find extremely interesting.
The movie shows how the prisoners suffered under the Japanese
“The Ghost of Bataan” and The Veterans Remember feature interviews with veterans of War World II and the survivors of the POW camps. They further explore the story behind Bataan, and their experiences in the camps. The veterans discuss how they felt abandoned by the government and the brutality they received. These two documentaries are as interesting as The Great Raid movie, and make the movie seem that much more a tribute to the soldiers of this period.
History Lesson with author Hampton Sides examines the history of the Philippines and why it was so important for the Japanese to take the island quickly at the beginning of the war.
Sides discusses how the Japanese managed to move into the island fast until they met up with the Americans and then how it turned into a lot of trench warfare and ground to a halt. This feature will interest history buffs, but may be a bit much for those who just enjoyed the movie and wanted to learn a bit more. I highly recommend watching it because it further explores what the soldiers went through and the story behind the movie.
Captain Dale Dye’s Boot Camp, Boot Camp Outtakes, and sound design are more traditional special features for a movie. They show how Capt. Dye (who seems to be the military technical advisor for every war movie made) trained the actors to perform as Rangers, and the how the cast went through a boot camp to help get them into their roles in the film.
The Great Raid is one of the best War World II movies to come out in the past years, and shows the strength and courage of the soldiers during that time. Dahl and the cast of the film do a great job at weaving several plots to tell their story, and slowly building tension until the film’s conclusion.
Connie Nelson shows how the resistance worked to help the prisoners
I would highly recommend the movie to anyone who enjoys war movies, War World II films, or is interested in history. The two-disc director’s cut version of the film has enough special features to help you appreciate the true story behind the movie. It is truly a film worth watching and remembering.
The Great Raid is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD’s database for more information.
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