Movie review: The Great Raid
Based on Hampton Sides' "Ghost Soldiers", The Great Raid follows the amazing story of a group of Rangers in the Philippines, most of whom had never fired a single round downrange in combat. Their mission - liberate over 500 American and Allied POWs held at a Japanese prison camp. I read the book about 2 or 3 years ago, and was quite nervous when I found out a movie was being made of it; I'm just as nervous about Clint Eastwood's take on James Bradley's "Flags of our Fathers" - I have not been a fan of his recent directorial efforts in Million Dollar Baby and Mystic River. That being said, The Great Raid works well as a movie, though the book is still better.
The Great Raid starts with a good bit of background regarding the war in the Pacific, specifically in the Philippines, during WWII. Once the history lesson is over, we are introduced to Captain Robert Prince, whom I consider the Pacific's version of Major Dick Winters (Ambrose's "Band of Brothers"). It is Captain Prince who is charged with drawing up the plan to get the prisoners out of the Cabanatuan prison camp. Reports of the time were rampant of the Japanese murdering American and Allied POWs due to the unstoppable advance of the Americans. In one weeks time, the American front line will be charging directly through Cabanatuan, and the fear is the Japanese will murder all 500 of its captives (nearly all of whom are survivors of the Bataan Death March).
From time to time, the movie switches to the prison camp and follows the highest ranking officer of the Americans who is dying of malaria (as were many of the other men in the camp). Due to their disdain for American prisoners (the Japanese were taught that to surrender was cowardly), they withhold medicine and only give them just enough food to keep them barely alive. The scenes in the prison camp could have been a lot worse and much more graphic considering what detail the book goes in to.
The movie also follows the story of a Canadian nurse who works with the underground resistance in Manila to funnel medicine and supplies to the prison. It's this part of the story I wish the movie had done a little more explanation with - for the most part, it serves as a background romance (which I don't recall the book having). I don't mind it in there, it just could have been fleshed out more.
Needless to say, the big moment comes at the end when the raid begins - I won't spoil it for you, but the movie does it good justice. The end credits roll with pictures of the actual participants and several of the prisoners. If you spring for the director's cut edition, you get a PBS documentary on the rescue that includes interviews with Capt. Prince and some of the prisoners.
In all, I was largely impressed with this movie - due to the source material, it would have been difficult to mess up, in my opinion. A solid 9 out of 10 and a definite addition to my collection (at least the director's cut).
The Great Raid starts with a good bit of background regarding the war in the Pacific, specifically in the Philippines, during WWII. Once the history lesson is over, we are introduced to Captain Robert Prince, whom I consider the Pacific's version of Major Dick Winters (Ambrose's "Band of Brothers"). It is Captain Prince who is charged with drawing up the plan to get the prisoners out of the Cabanatuan prison camp. Reports of the time were rampant of the Japanese murdering American and Allied POWs due to the unstoppable advance of the Americans. In one weeks time, the American front line will be charging directly through Cabanatuan, and the fear is the Japanese will murder all 500 of its captives (nearly all of whom are survivors of the Bataan Death March).
From time to time, the movie switches to the prison camp and follows the highest ranking officer of the Americans who is dying of malaria (as were many of the other men in the camp). Due to their disdain for American prisoners (the Japanese were taught that to surrender was cowardly), they withhold medicine and only give them just enough food to keep them barely alive. The scenes in the prison camp could have been a lot worse and much more graphic considering what detail the book goes in to.
The movie also follows the story of a Canadian nurse who works with the underground resistance in Manila to funnel medicine and supplies to the prison. It's this part of the story I wish the movie had done a little more explanation with - for the most part, it serves as a background romance (which I don't recall the book having). I don't mind it in there, it just could have been fleshed out more.
Needless to say, the big moment comes at the end when the raid begins - I won't spoil it for you, but the movie does it good justice. The end credits roll with pictures of the actual participants and several of the prisoners. If you spring for the director's cut edition, you get a PBS documentary on the rescue that includes interviews with Capt. Prince and some of the prisoners.
In all, I was largely impressed with this movie - due to the source material, it would have been difficult to mess up, in my opinion. A solid 9 out of 10 and a definite addition to my collection (at least the director's cut).
posted by misawa at 7:40 AM
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