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The Great Raid

The Great Raid

The most daring rescue mission of our time is a story that has never been told

2005132 minRMidcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
Director
John Dahl
Starring
Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, Connie Nielsen, Logan Marshall-Green

As World War II rages, the elite Sixth Ranger Battalion is given a mission of heroic proportions: push 30 miles behind enemy lines and liberate over 500 American prisoners of war.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Great Raid?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list The Great Raid on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Great Raid?

The Great Raid earns 7 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Great Raid worth watching?

The Great Raid's Midcredits score is the 64th percentile of all films, from 31K ratings across 6 sources. 62% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

64th percentile

Better received than 64% of films

78th percentile among Action62nd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)58th
Approval (how many liked it)68th

64 /100

58th percentile of all films

75th percentile among Action58th percentile among 2000s

Critics 48 · Audience 65

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

62% liked it

68th percentile of all films

79th percentile among Action66th percentile among 2000s
62% rated it 7–1038% rated it 1–6

Critics 39% · Audience 70%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

89th percentile

31K ratings across platforms

80th percentile among Action82nd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 39% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$80M
Opening weekend$3.4M
Domestic gross$10M
Worldwide gross$11M

Returned 0.1× its budget — 59th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a well-intentioned, straightforward historical war movie that prioritizes factual accuracy over dramatic flair.

Fans praised

  • Historically accurate depiction of a little-known Pacific theater rescue
  • Powerful tribute to the Filipino underground resistance and their sacrifice
  • Well-executed final raid sequence with clear tactical choreography

Detractors panned

  • Slow pacing with excessive, unfocused subplots and a tacked-on romance
  • Wooden, uninspired performances from leads with flat line delivery
  • Formulaic, cliché-ridden storytelling lacking emotional engagement

What stands out

EndingDivisive60

Satisfying rescue execution and real-life archival tribute

TensionDivisive55

Thrilling final 30-minute raid after slow, suspense-light buildup

Effects and spectacleDivisive55

Practical battle scenes with clear tactics but dated CGI blood

ActingDivisive48

Solid ensemble work from stage-trained actors but leads criticized as wooden

Emotional impactDivisive45

Archive footage and end credits move some viewers; many find it detached

Plot and storyDivisive42

Strong historical rescue story undermined by diffused, sluggish structure

PacingDivisive35

Overlong first two hours of setup before delayed, exciting climax

CharactersDivisive35

One-dimensional POWs and Rangers with undercooked motivations

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 13 points higher than men.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 12 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Great Raid like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseHopefulMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brutal · 7% of filmsTender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Multiple perspectives · 2% of films: The same events retold from different characters' points of view.
ToneThe film plays its material straight, treating the historical events and characters with solemn respect and earnestness.
The rideThe film maintains a tense, suspenseful mood throughout, with moments of hope and melancholy, culminating in the emotionally heavy raid and its aftermath.
StructureThe story unfolds in a mostly linear fashion, following the planning and execution of the raid, while intercutting between the perspectives of the POWs, the Rangers, and the resistance.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetThought-provokingHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayViewers are left with a mix of pride and sorrow, reflecting on the horrors of war and the extraordinary courage of those who fought, while also feeling uplifted by the successful rescue.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestRescue
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

Why this archetypeThe film is driven by a rescue mission to liberate POWs from a Japanese camp, fitting the rescue subtype of the quest archetype. The oppressive and brutal Japanese forces act as the monster to be overcome.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSacrificeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% (this title) · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Sacrifice · 4% of filmsDuty · 2% of filmsSurvival
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the immense sacrifices made by soldiers, resistance fighters, and nurses, driven by duty and the will to survive against brutal odds.
StanceThe film honors the sacrifice and bravery of the soldiers and resistance fighters, celebrating their heroism and the successful rescue.

The world

Mid 20th centuryRuralInstitutionalUrbanRealistic
Orchestral classicalOrchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Trevor Rabin
SettingJapanese-occupied Philippines, 1944-45: POW camps, jungle trails, and the city of Manila.
MusicThe score swells during the raid and the emotional finale, enhancing the heroic tone.

Content guide

Is The Great Raid okay for kids?

R

The Great Raid is rated R: “Rated R for strong war violence and brief language” (MPAA). As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (78/100), sexual content at mild (17/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (12/100) and frightening material at intense (63/100). Overall it is heavier than 27% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • UK15
  • CanadaR
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany18
  • France16
  • Netherlands16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 54% of all filmsHeavier than 27% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 61%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 11%
Profanity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 7%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 4%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 52%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Great Raid have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Great Raid?

Cast

Benjamin Bratt
as Lt. Colonel Mucci
James Franco
as Captain Prince
Connie Nielsen
as Margaret Utinsky
Logan Marshall-Green
as Lt. Paul Colvin
Joseph Fiennes
as Major Gibson
Marton Csokas
as Captain Redding
Robert Mammone
as Captain Fisher
Max Martini
as 1st Sgt. Sid "Top" Wojo
Mark Consuelos
as Cpl. Guttierez
Cesar Montano
as Guerilla Leader Juan Pajota

Crew

Directed by

John Dahl

More like this

What are movies like The Great Raid?

Movies like The Great Raid include Saving Private Ryan (1998), We Were Soldiers (2002) and Dunkirk (2017). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set during World War II, and several are stories about soldiers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its world: war epic. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Great Raid?

813 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: war epic. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.