Film Snail

The Great Raid
The Great Raid

6.6

The Great Raid

R·2005·132m

Summary

As World War II rages, the elite Sixth Ranger Battalion is given a mission of heroic proportions: push 30 miles behind enemy lines and liberate over 500 American prisoners of war.

Cast

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Self (archive footage)

Benjamin Bratt

Benjamin Bratt

Lt. Colonel Mucci

James Franco

James Franco

Captain Prince

Connie Nielsen

Connie Nielsen

Margaret Utinsky

Logan Marshall-Green

Logan Marshall-Green

Lt. Paul Colvin

Joseph Fiennes

Joseph Fiennes

Major Gibson

Marton Csokas

Marton Csokas

Captain Redding

Robert Mammone

Robert Mammone

Captain Fisher

Max Martini

Max Martini

1st Sgt. Sid "Top" Wojo

Mark Consuelos

Mark Consuelos

Cpl. Guttierez

Cesar Montano

Cesar Montano

Guerilla Leader Juan Pajota

James Carpinello

James Carpinello

Cpl. Aliteri

Clayne Crawford

Clayne Crawford

PFC Aldridge

Motoki Kobayashi

Major Nagai

Gotaro Tsunashima

Gotaro Tsunashima

Yamada

Craig McLachlan

Craig McLachlan

2nd Lt. Riley

Sam Worthington

Sam Worthington

PFC Lucas

Kenny Doughty

Kenny Doughty

Pitt

Natalie Mendoza

Natalie Mendoza

Mina

Paolo Montalbán

Paolo Montalbán

Sgt. Valera

Masa Yamaguchi

Masa Yamaguchi

Lt. Hikobe

Paul Nakauchi

Paul Nakauchi

Sgt. Shigeno

Freddie Joe Farnsworth

Freddie Joe Farnsworth

2nd Lt. Foley

Laird Macintosh

Laird Macintosh

2nd Lt. O'Grady

Jeremy Callaghan

Jeremy Callaghan

Lt. Able

Scott McLean

Lt. LeClaire

Royston Innes

Sgt. Adams

Diarmid Heidenreich

Diarmid Heidenreich

PFC Daly

Luke Pegler

Luke Pegler

PFC Miller

Dale Dye

Dale Dye

General Kreuger

Jerome Ehlers

Jerome Ehlers

Col. H. White

Brett Tucker

Brett Tucker

Major Lapham

Kristian Schmid

Kristian Schmid

Cpl. Lee

Warwick Young

Warwick Young

Sgt. Lyle

Steve Harman

Steve Harman

PFC Chestnut

Tim Campbell

Tim Campbell

Cpl. Friedberg

Matt Doran

Matt Doran

Ron Carlson Radio Op.

Nicholas Bell

Nicholas Bell

Duke

Iain Gardiner

Iain Gardiner

McMahon

Christopher James Baker

Christopher James Baker

Monty

Christopher Morris

Christopher Morris

Sgt. Williams

Eugenia Yuan

Eugenia Yuan

Cora (Manila Nurse)

Alvin Anson

Alvin Anson

Rudi

Rommel Montano

Miguel

R.J. Leyran

Carlos

Simon Maiden

Simon Maiden

Father McPherson

Neil Fitzpatrick

Father Connor

Laura Stejskal

Nurse Manila Hospital

Rez Cortez

Rez Cortez

Henchman #1

Bembol Roco

Bembol Roco

Henchman #2

Yutaka Izumihara

Yutaka Izumihara

Sgt. Major Takeda

Ken Senga

Colonel Mori

Richard Joson

Captain Joson

Valerie Berry

Valerie Berry

Refugee Woman

Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler

Self (archive footage)

Douglas MacArthur

Douglas MacArthur

Self (archive footage)

Crew

Director

John Dahl

Book

William B. Breuer

Book

Hampton Sides

Screenplay

Doug Miro

Screenplay

Carlo Bernard

Reviews

Wuchak

Wuchak

September 20, 2023

7

**_The most successful rescue mission in American history_**

On January 30, 1945, the United States Army Rangers, Alamo Scouts, and Filipino guerrillas saved more than 500 POWs in the Japanese camp in the Philippines from certain death as the Japanese were ordered to "liquidate" all prisoners before evacuating in the face of MacArthur's advance. Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, Max Martini, Joseph Fiennes, Connie Nielsen and Marton Csokas star.

"The Great Raid" was based on the books "The Great Raid on Cabanatuan" and "Ghost Soldiers." I've read the latter and it's interesting seeing the film for live-action visuals of what I saw in my head.

The rescue, along with the liberation of Camp O'Donnell the same day, allowed the POWs to share the truth about the Bataan and Corregidor atrocities. While the raid had no strategic value, as far as winning the war goes, it sparked a new wave of resolve in the war against Japan. Not to mention, it remains the most successful rescue mission in USA history.

Although the movie was shot in 2002, it was pulled from release schedule on several occasions before finally having a limited released in August, 2005, with little-to-no marketing. Was it any wonder it failed to garner an audience and box office success?

Be that as it may, this is a solid WW2 flick based on a true story. The prisoners of the camp are the survivors of the infamous 60-mile Bataan Death March of April, 1942. The movie's not politically correct in that it shows the truth of the brutal savagery of the Japanese military. The actual raid doesn't take place until the 95-minute mark, but it's worth the wait; the build-up is informational and keeps your attention.

While I wouldn't call it great, it's a well-done and informative war flick for those interested in the subject. It's even better if you've read either of the books on which it's based.

The film runs 2 hours, 12 minutes, and was shot in Bribie Island, Queensland, Australia, with the Manila sequences shot in Shanghai, China.

GRADE: B

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$80,000,000.00

Revenue:

$10,166,502.00

Keywords

based on novel or book
war crimes
narration
world war ii
prisoner of war
rescue mission
us army
based on true story
historical fiction
soldier
special forces
military
1940s