Passable WWII-era action flick

Rating: 6/10 (24 December 2007)

This is a movie that doesn't do anything well enough to give it 'must see' status, nor does it do anything poorly enough to make it unwatchable.
The direction is workmanlike and doesn't add to or detract from the experience. Similarly, the acting isn't especially good or bad with only Bratt's performance standing out (slightly) above the others. The main problem is the storyline, which is stretched a little too thin in the course of two hours. One irritating element of the plot is the romantic subplot, presumably added in order to make the film appeal to a wider audience. Luckily, it isn't too obtrusive and doesn't overshadow the story at hand. The story could also have benefited from being a bit more unflinching. Some of the reminiscences in the documentary 'Ghosts of Bataan' make this movie seem like a walk in the park.
In the end, while I can't completely dismiss this film there are many superior WWII presentations that should be recommended in it's place, for instance the HBO mini-series "Band of Brothers".