Review of The Great Raid (2005) by Aaron G — 01 Sep 2005

I saw this movie the day before I saw Red Eye. This is, as advertised, a highly American-gusto patriotic film. It urges you to cheer on the American forces and for the prisoners to hold on until they're rescuers finally arrive.

I'm as patriotic as anyone in this country. I don't find this movie to be biased, because, well... it's about a Americans saving Americans. Why shouldn't I feel a warmth in my heart when I see it? Now, if we are to get into the quality of the movie, certainly it is nothing amazing.

Benjamin Bratt was an odd choice as a commander, and I felt his performance so much wasn't his fault, as it is just doesn't fit who he is at all. I know actors are to become their character, but they are also to make it believable, but I didn't sense much believability about Bratt as a hard-nosed, deep thinking commander.

His officer leading the raid did a better job with his part, but still nothing great. For most of the movie, I just felt anxious to get to the meat of the movie, what it's all about, The Great Raid.

This is a decent war movie that doesn't handle the pre-action moments well enough to keep the emotion running high. The payoff at the end though is a fun ride. Seeing the mislead Japanese soldiers get wooped by the Filipinos was exciting.

Overall, I gave this a 6/10. It's just no Black Hawk Down, We Were Soldiers, or Saving Private Ryan.