The Great Raid

The war movie The Great Raid has been resting on Miramax's shelves for almost three years, stymied apparently by the real war going on in Iraq. Critics are warring, too over whether it ought to have been released at all. On the one hand, Roger Ebert writes in the Chicago Sun-Times: Here is a war movie that understands how wars are actually fought. Jack Mathews in the New York Daily News observes, It has more dramatic elements than almost any fictional combat picture, including Saving Private Ryan, and has the advantage of being mostly true. On the other hand, Stephen Holden writes in the New York Times that it illustrates a depressing similarity between reckless war-mongering and grandiose moviemaking. Most critics side with Holden. I hereby award the World War II drama The Great Raid a Cement Star for faithful and distinguished service to the cause of mediocrity, comments Kyle Smith the in the New York Post. And Roger Moore in the Orlando Sentinel remarks, No wonder The Great Raid sat on the shelf for more than two years. It's damaged goods, fit only to tumble out as part of the 'change in management' Miramax fire sale.

good action movie. real enough for me. but the story line isn't enough to get it a five. in other words, it just really wasn't interesting enough. notice i didn't say it wasn't about something important. just not quite the 5 for excitement. it leaves you feeling richer for watching it though. really a 4.5 for a movie (out of 5) but just a 3.7 to 4 as an action movie.