I’m shocked at how little promotion The Great Raid was given. It’s got a great cast, and certainly anything about American military heroics will play well to American audiences these days. Not to mention that I still think Benjamin Bratt is a horribly misused actor who has a load of talent.
But now the reports are coming in… and they’re not looking great. Most of the critics are saying The Great Raid is pretty boring and dry. Nothing to keep the audiences attention at all. Some call it a nice tribute… but that’s about as positive as it gets. So here’s what some of the critics are saying about The Great Raid:
“A WWII movie so parched, so Reader’s Digest expository, so utterly expressionless, it confuses taciturn Greatest Generation nobility with paralysis.”
Scott Brown, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY“Dullest. Cast. Ever. Everybody in this movie comes off like they’re playing dress-up. Here’s one that should’ve stayed in the vault.”
Sean Burns, PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY“Director John Dahl has fashioned a worthy tribute to the soldiers who carried out this seemingly impossible raid.”
Richard Roeper, EBERT & ROEPER“This overlong march will bore all but the most nobly patriotic of auds.”
Robert Koehler, VARIETY
So there you have it. As of right now this movie holds a 45% on Rotten Tomatoes. Personally I’m still interested in seeing this… if for no other reason that Bratt.
