04/16/06 The Great Raid

The Great Raid (2005), directed by John Dahl

watched w/ Tim; DVD rental (Blockbuster) @ parents' house (Southern Pines, NC)

War movies always hold a special place in my movie-going heart. Part of it is that my father and brother (as well as others in my family) have served in the military; part is that heart-pounding aggressive action scenes can excite you to no end; part is that no matter how fictionalized the material may become, it is usually based on some fact or moment in history. Albeit it is a sordid and bloodied history that the world holds at times, but it is one true form of cinema that conveys something very real to the audience. Living during modern wartime is a harsh reality, but I think everyone today understands how very different that warfare has become. However, many raw things remain the same in something so seminal as war and death. This story takes something that a lot of history books only scratch the surface with having people understand. I hate to say it, but if you want to hold someone's attention these days, you need to shove it in their face & make sure they are glued to the message...ok, maybe not everyone, but it sure seems that way sometimes. However, this story focuses solely on a lesser known rescue mission conducted by the 6th Ranger Battalion in World War II Philippines, in the wake of the Bataan Death March. The mission is to liberate over 500 captured American and Philippino POW's in a Japanese prison camp, where they are forced to endure hellish conditions for years. It's a brave and courageous rescue operation that takes the daring and intelligence of both the U.S. and Philippino military, and is successful with relatively few casualties in the process. It is still noted as the most successful rescue mission in U.S. military history (if my dad reads this, he can verify my accuracy on this statement...he's a walking military encyclopedia). Surprising performances by Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, and Connie Nielsen (as an American nurse who tries to help smuggle medical supplies to prisoners of the camp). A powerful film in the light of a "Saving Private Ryan", except here many try to save many (as opposed to one).

4 out of 5 stars