The Great Raid

The Great Raid is a 2005 war film which tells the story of the January 1945 liberation of the Cabanatuan Prison Camp during World War II. It is directed by John Dahl and stars Benjamin Bratt, Joseph Fiennes, James Franco and Connie Nielsen with Filipino actor Cesar Montano. In the United States, it is rated R for strong war violence and brief language. The principal photography took place from July 4, to November 6, 2002, but its release was delayed several times from the original target of fall 2003.

The film opened in theaters across America on August 12, 2005, three days before the 60th anniversary of V-J Day.

The real-life efforts of Filipino guerillas are also specifically highlighted, especially a stand at a bridge that delayed Japanese reinforcements. These units fought alongside Americans against Japanese occupiers during the war.

The Great Raid was based on actual events.

In the winter of 1944, World War II was coming to a close. The Japanese held some of the American prisoners who had survived the Bataan Death March in a notorious prisoner-of-war camp at Cabanatuan and subjected them to harsh treatment; many prisoners were also stricken with malaria. At the time of the raid the camp held about five hundred prisoners.

The film opens with a scene of Japanese massacre of prisoners of war on Palawan. The man who supervised the massacre is shown expressing no emotions at all, as if it were a regular part of his duty -- which it probably was, for the insignia he wears is of the Kempeitai, the Imperial Japanese military's secret police. The film then switches over to Lingayen Gulf, showing the 6th Ranger Battalion. Col. Mucci learns of the Cabanatuan prison camp and is ordered by Gen. Walter Krueger to plan a raid to liberate all of the prisoners of war. The plan is completed, and the Rangers move out. The film then periodically switches between the points of view of the Filipino Resistance, the POWs at Cabanatuan, the Rangers, and, finally, the Japanese.

That winter, the 6th Ranger Battalion of the US Army, aided by Filipino guerillas, staged the Raid at Cabanatuan, a broad attack on the camp to rescue the remaining prisoners. Lt. Col. Henry Mucci (Bratt) and Cpt. Robert Prince (Franco) led the attack, which succeeded gloriously.

The Americans used a P-61 Black Widow night fighter to divert Japanese attention while the Rangers were crawling toward the camp (but the aircraft used in the movie was a Lockheed Hudson, because none of the four surviving P-61s were airworthy when the film was made).

Actor and their Roles
Benjamin Bratt Lt. Colonel Henry Mucci
James Franco Captain Robert Prince
Robert Mammone Captain Fisher
Max Martini 1st Sgt. Sid "Top" Wojo
Joseph Fiennes Major Gibson
Cesar Montano Captain Juan Pajota
Marton Csokas Captain Redding
Natalie Mendoza Mina
Dale Dye General Walter Krueger
Clayne Crawford PFC Aldrige
Connie Nielsen Margaret Utinsky

well this is a tribute to those american and filipino POWS who were locked up in the prison camps at cabanatuan nueva ecija, they fought bravely in the jungles of bataan and at the last stand of the rock Corregidor, well its a mistake, pearl harbor's men and ships are all upgraded equipments, unlike in philippines, still world war 1 weapons like springfields, no 50 calibers no garands only single reloaded rifles and old machine guns and howitzers.

but they are well trained by mac arthur including the USAFFE forces.

they fought til the end of their line.

some prisoners where burned alive, some are killed by gunshots and malaria.

honor these people.