Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- tense
- grim
- serious
- war film marathon
- historical drama night
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded the film as a noble but uneven historical war drama whose climactic raid was more compelling than its prolonged character and romance material.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The 6th Ranger Battalion travels thirty miles through Japanese-held territory to reach Cabanatuan POW camp.
More than 500 American prisoners endure brutal confinement and the threat of execution before the rescue.
The story depicts the 1945 Cabanatuan raid, presented as one of the most audacious rescue missions in U.S. military history.
The raid emphasizes coordinated Ranger maneuvers, reconnaissance, enemy lines, and combat logistics rather than fantastical action.
Films like The Great Raid, and why
Rescue Dawn
World War II rescue mission, prisoner-of-war setting, and tense military action
Hacksaw Ridge
Pacific War combat, historical subject matter, and morally serious war drama
Saving Private Ryan
World War II military operation, ensemble soldiers, and grounded combat staging
Unbroken
Prisoner-of-war suffering, historical warfare, and survival-focused drama
Movie Details
- Director
- John Dahl
- Release Date
- 2005-08-12
- Runtime
- 132 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (397)
Cast
- Benjamin Bratt
- James Franco
- Connie Nielsen
- Logan Marshall-Green
- Joseph Fiennes
- Marton Csokas
- Robert Mammone
- Max Martini
- Mark Consuelos
- Cesar Montano
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Great Raid about?
- A determined American Ranger unit risks a lethal journey behind Japanese lines to liberate hundreds of prisoners from a Philippine POW camp.
- What is The Great Raid like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Great Raid as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Great Raid violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Great Raid as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Great Raid?
- Critics broadly regarded the film as a noble but uneven historical war drama whose climactic raid was more compelling than its prolonged character and romance material.
- Which films are like The Great Raid?
- Films with a similar feel include Rescue Dawn, Hacksaw Ridge, Saving Private Ryan, and Unbroken.
- How long is The Great Raid?
- The Great Raid runs 132 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Great Raid?
- In United States, The Great Raid is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
