The Great Raid - Exclusive Uncensored Director's Cut

 

 

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I thought this movie was great. I'm not a war buff and I certainly don't know everything there is to know about military procedures, but this movie moved me. I find less and less movies these days that actually have worthwhile content and deal with something of great value. What can be greater than human life. I felt like this movie did a good job portraying all the characters and bringing the autrocities to light. I realize that a movie cannot compare to show the real truth, but this brougt me one step closer.
The Bonus disc also has some great footage on it as well. There's a 60 minute documentary where you hear personal tales from some of the survivors as well as timelines and behind the scenes footage. There's also a memorial to all those who were involved. I recommend that you see it and don't let one of the greatest moments in history go unnoticed. Enjoy.

The Great Raid is one of the best war movies I've seen in several years, and it makes me downright mad to learn of this film's long-neglected, still overlooked history. It was filmed in 2002, then delayed for three full years thanks to a bunch of bureaucratic jabberwocky. When it finally saw the light of day in 2005, I didn't hear the first thing about it, which says a lot about the marketing behind it. Then, a number of professional critics cast aspersions upon it - all the usual suspects who prefer their own make-believe world where the worst sadists are merely misunderstood victims of a bad childhood and real history is just something to be distorted in pursuit of your own political agenda. The Great Raid is just far too true for these elitists, and - even worse - it shows that war, as horrible as it is, is sometimes a necessity in the face of outright evil. These guys can blanch and puff up all they like, but anyone who knows anything about World War II knows that the Japanese were some of the most merciless, brutal, downright sadistic soldiers the world has ever seen. That very concept is incorporated into this movie because it's true. The Great Raid adds a few unnecessary romantic elements to the story, but that story itself is an honorably realistic presentation of the most audacious, successful rescue mission in American military history. It's a story every American should know - but more than likely doesn't.

There was a good reason why General MacArthur vowed to return after FDR ordered him to withdraw from the Philippines - he was leaving a lot of good men behind, brave soldiers who suffered and died horribly after their Commander in Chief abandoned them. As FDR concentrated on the European theater, thousands of GI's died on the unspeakable Bataan Death March, while those who did survive the 60-mile trek were subjected to brutal, inhumane treatment in Japanese POW camps for three years. In January 1945, the military tide had turned, MacArthur had indeed returned to the Philippines, and the Japanese knew the end was in sight. War criminals to the end, they chose to slaughter all of their prisoners before they could be liberated. That set the stage for The Great Raid. The Allies knew the 500+ prisoners of war at Cabanatuan would be killed as their forces closed in on the camp. The only hope of saving these brave, long-suffering Americans was to execute a surprise rescue mission and take the Japanese completely by surprise.

This movie shows us pretty much what actually happened, and it is that commitment to historical reality that makes it such an important film. We watch Lt. Col. Henry Mucci (Benjamin Bratt) and Capt. Bob Prince (James Franco) draw up the plans, lead their soldiers forward, adapt and react to unexpected Japanese troop movements, and basically refuse to let anything stop them from leaving any American POW behind. These particular troops, from the 6th Army Ranger Battalion, had yet to see any real action for the most part, but they managed to cross 30 miles of enemy territory and sneak up on the camp across open fields in broad daylight without being detected. Meanwhile, brave Filipino soldiers provided invaluable assistance by preventing Japanese reinforcements from reaching the camp in time to disrupt the mission. The big firefight, when it does come, is quite intense and realistic, leading up to an emotionally stirring ending.

Alongside the viewpoint of the Rangers and their Filipino brethren in arms, the film also takes us inside the Japanese POW camp and acquaints us with the Filipino underground sneaking much-needed medicines into the camp. All of these heroes of different stripes aren't enough to satisfy the critics, though. They say the movie drags on too long, yet they complain that the POW camp conditions aren't covered in enough detail. They decry the scenes of Japanese barbarity, preferring their own little world of politically correct grey to the black and white reality of history. Folks, it doesn't get much more black and white than this: risking your life -against great odds - to rescue your brother soldiers is good; burning POWs alive rather than allowing them to be liberated is evil. Some things really are black and white. If you insist on pretending that everyone on earth really just wants to chase butterflies in the sun all day, you may not like this movie. If, on the other hand, you like a good war movie, especially one that is based on fact and presented in a realistic fashion, The Great Raid more than deserves a place in your personal DVD collection.

After reading the book "Ghost Raiders" 15 years ago, I was very eager to watch this movie. I loved the great detail of how this operation was planned and conducted and painstackingly made into literature. History is my passion, and details should not be ignored when it comes to transform literature into celluloid.
The movie allowed too much liberties, very important aspects
where overlooked. Soldiers who want to join the rangers have to undergo extremely tough training. All the hard bonebreaking work to accomplish the breakout, the sweat, the dirt and tears that went into it, are just not captured in the movie. Some veterans might take offense in this.
During the whole movie I could not help myself, but thinking that the Rangers felt more like
middle class country-club boys on a boy-scout mission, than being actual combat soldiers. Something was not right. Having been a soldier myself, I remember how we defined jokes, espirit-du-corps, and a very special kind of comradeship. The book did a very good job, the movie failed. The movie "Band of Brothers" captured this feeling, this movie failed.
Being a scale model painter, I also noticed, that they got some of the japanese uniforms wrong and the japanese tank drivers did not use american pilot-issue goggles. The historical advisor must have been on a shoe string budget.
I also could not help feeling, that a political agenda was behind the movie script. So much in fact, that I could not continue enjoying this movie as an historical epic more like:
"Is This, the producers movie, a vehicle for current political messages ?"

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