"The Great Raid" - Debbie Schlussel Calls It The Year's Great Movie (MUST SEE!!!)

Debbie Schlussel.com ^ | 08/12/05 | Debbie Schlussel

[PaulZe]

I saw it last night....great movie. They intersperse real footage of the event at the beginning and end of the movie. The credits at the end you see footage of the men who were portrayed in the movie. a definite must see.

[Accygirl]

I just saw it and will highly recommend it. As for critics, Ebert gave it a thumbs up, and he's the only mainstream critic that I trust. The others, especially the NY Times guys, tend to let their politics taint their reviews.

[atlanta67]

where was this review from

[NRA2BFree]

I watched a documentary on the making of this movie, on the History Channel a couple of nights ago. They went to the Philippines and talked to survivors of the war. If not for them helping our guys, they would never have been able to help rescue our guys. They traced the steps that the March took, and the steps that the Rangers took on the rescue mission. I read the book "Ghost Soldiers" and it is a great book. I recommend it to evryone.

I lost 3 uncles at Bataan. My dad's only brothers were killed. One was sick and his brother was trying to carry him on his shoulder, but he fell and the Japanese killed him with a sword. The other two died in the camp. They were just kids. 18, 18 and 19.

Another one was my mother's brother. He's still buried in the National Cemetery in the Philippines. At the time, my grandparents didn't have the money to bring him home. My other grandparents brought my dad's brothers home. At least they think it was them. They wouldn't let them open the caskets.

Growing up, I used to go spend the summer with my grandparents, and I'll always remember that my grandmother had a picture of the flag draped coffins with a small picture of the boys, sitting on her dresser. Recently my dad gave it all to me, along with some school books that belonged to them.

None of them were married, so the only cousins I have on my dad's side are 3 girls, who my aunt had, but they live 1000 miles away. I used to feel cheated because I have such a small family, but I understood the sacrifice they made to keep America free, and I believed it was worth it. The way our government is shredding our Constitution REALLY angers me because of the men and women who have died to keep our country free. They did NOT do it so we could be overrun by an invasion across our borders because our sorry a$$ed government doesn't want to do anything about it.

[Uriah_lost]

I've seen it twice so far, theater was packed for both shows. Cheering and clapping at several points. The show was fairly realistic, especially the military aspects. They were a little gentle on the torture and execution scenes, but it was more than enough to shock most people today. It's just sad that we can't make certain people sit and watch it until they understand. I'm thinking something like the Clockwork Orange "conditioning" scenes.

[DollyCali]

I saw it Saturday evening.. WONDERFULLY done & great acting..

[DollyCali]

thank you for your story.. tears here...

[D Rider]

Just saw it with my family. It should not be R rated, considering what goes on in PG movies these days. No sex, No language. Took my girls 11 and 12. Its nice to see a movie where people applaud when the credits begin. There was also a scene in the movie where people applauded, don't want to ruin it for those who haven't seen it so that's all I'll say.

[DollyCali]

The R rating is deserved for the public executions IMHO...

[wildwood]

i went to see this movie last night. i thought it was excellent; the start is slow, and you have to get into the whole ww2 movie mode, but it was patriotic and very moving.

i was surprised at how many people were at the 7 o clock showing; people clapped when something happens to the bad guy, and people stayed riveted (NOT MOVING) in their seats during the credits, which show archival footage of the actual ww2 rescued prisoners...no one left until it was completely over, and then people clapped at the end.

i thought it was great. i hope people go out to support it and help to create a market for family friendly patriotic films, unlike "dukes of hazzard" or "four brothers."

we have enough commie type movies coming out in the next two years. it would be great if we could support THIS one.

[denydenydeny]

It's a little long, most of the characters are too faceless, and there are lots of technical things wrong with it (Stephen Hunter points out the worst: the lack of a P-61 Black Widow, an absence which makes a critical scene far less dramatic than it should have been).

But even with all of that, it's still a gripping, thrilling movie with a great final battle scene.

[wildwood]

bttt

an inspiring movie! go see it and support patriotism!

[beaversmom]

where was this review from

The Seattle Post Intelligencer by William Arnold

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/movies/236243_raid12q.html

[The Right Stuff]

This was an incredible movie. The reviewers who panned it I'm sure were horrified by the accurate depiction of the brutal Japanese. Can't have that! A very pro-American movie.

[wildwood]

not just pro-American, i guess...but patriotic and willing to see the good in the human spirit...so unlike the crap put out nowdays by hollywood...

they just don't get it.