Posted on 08/25/2005 3:10:01 PM PDT by winner3000
IT IS TIME to rescue The Great Raid.
The Great Raid is in theaters now, though it may not be for long unless movie-going America quickly realizes that there is a wonderful and inspiring film in its midst, one that celebrates courage, sacrifice and endurance, and which unabashedly proclaims that hope (plus superior firepower and tactical surprise) can conquer all. It is a movie which deserves a vast and appreciative audience.
It is 1945, and Douglas MacArthur has returned to the Philippines. More than 500 American survivors of the Bataan Death March languish at the Cabanatuan prison camp, and the Japanese plan to exterminate them, rather than allow them to survive and bear witness to Japanese war crimes. The men of America's untested 6th Army Ranger Battalion set out to save these prisoners. This exceptional movie tells the stories of the warriors who went to save the captives, the prisoners who endured unspeakable cruelty, and the Filipino resistance that came to the aid of both.
As with Saving Private Ryan, audiences have been lingering at the end of the film. There is spontaneous applause. And there are tears. The generation that fought to liberate the Philippines is passing away, but those who survive and the best of their children and grandchildren are appreciating the movie.
The Great Raid has received favorable reviews from esteemed and honest critics such as Michael Medved and Roger Ebert. But the bulk of the high-brow reviewers have rejected the movie. The New York Times's
Stephen Holden represented the caucus of the dismissive when he wrote that "it is not the actors' fault that their characters fail to establish any emotional connection; they aren't given the words for the task."
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
I went the opening weekend to a matinee. It is a terrific movie!! Please don't wait for the video and go see it. You'll love all the real footage at the end! Not only did the audience applaud the movie, they waited to get up when the credits were done. Been a long time since I've seen that.
I been hearing about this movie for a couple years now.
The way to send the message is "butts in the seats".
If the movie takes off, and a whole bunch of people watch it, then it is a success.
Just like Gibson's "Passion", the Left couldn't believe the audience numbers. High audience numbers equal a successful movie. Insightful commentary on talk radio/tv equal a successful movie. Disdain by main stream, liberal critics, equal a successful movie.
Prove the critics wrong, GO SEE IT!
Then let them pontificate about how "out of the mainstream" we all are!!
Damn, these people piss me off!!!....
Thank you, I've been looking for a good late summer movie to go see with my family and this looks like a winner. Plus, I'll pass the word around about it among my friends, extended family, and others.
Well, since we have not been to a movie in years and the movie industry hasn't shut down but rather still made money--I doubt our numbers will make a difference. The liberals are into revisionist history plain and simple.
Saw it. Was really good.
This sounds like a keeper DVD.....
35%, 32% on Rotten Tomatoes...
jcb
????? not up on Rotten tomatoes...what does that mean...I think I'll like the movie based on what I've heard. I can't go to a movie because there isn't a theater where I live..gotta depend on DVDs
I agree. I had read the book (Ghost Soldiers) and was surprised that the movie was as good as the book.
My 15 year old son liked it, but it lacked the action of other movies. That, in a nutshell, is the problem with this movie for many viewers. The public is used to simple solutions to complex problems, so they love movies that have constant violence with predictable and easy solutions. Just like Iraq - many expect instant success (like movies) and can no longer envision a difficult (and long) solution to a big problem.
Cindy (The Traitor) Sheehan should see this movie so she will learn something. No, I take that back. She and her friends have already made up their minds about "anything Bush."
We reported for duty opening weekend.
Our local reviewer for the Sacramento Bee didn't like that the Japanese soldiers were portrayed as the just the bad guys with no personality etc. I guess it's just part of that liberal mentality where there is no good or evil.
Fantastic movie... When I went to see it, I was one of the five people there who was under 60 years old. Lots of vets... And when the movie ended, not one person moved out of their seats.
This movie reminds those of us with consciences what it means to be an American, and what was given up for our freedom.
It hasn't arrived at either of the two theaters in my hometown, yet. All they screen is the witless junk that's produced for 12-year-olds, which is the reason I almost never go to movies. I am sick to death of outer space epics and dumb, puerile comedies.
Same here. I asked when it would be showing - they never heard of it!
I don't know what it cost to make the film, but it is turning into one of the great box-office disasters of all time. Maybe DVD sales can save it.
The film cost $80 million. Box office so far is less than one tenth that figure. It was released to only about 800 theaters, when normal release is three times that. Some states did not even get the film. I saw it yesterday. It was great and any Freeper who does not go see it or buy the DVD should be ashamed of themselves.
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