The Great Raid (Widescreen Director's Cut)
Following in the tradition of such great World War II films as "Saving Private Ryan" and "Patton", "The Great Raid" tells the true story of an American rescue mission that took place over five days in January, 1945. Cabanatuan prison was located some thirty miles behind Japanese lines. Inside its walls were over 500 American prisoners. Many were survivors of the Bataan death march. These men had been improsoned for over three years. Many began to feel that their country had left them behind.By late 1944, the Americans had returned to the Philippines. After learning about the existance of Cabanatuan, the Americans devised a plan to send an elite group of Army Rangers in to resue the POWs. Lt. Col. Henry Mucci (Benjamin Bratt), commander of the 6th Ranger Batallion, was given the assignment of developing the mission. Captain Robert Prince (James Franco) was placed in charge of planning and actually carrying out the raid. The Rangers would have to travel thirty miles into enemy-held territory, much of the time in broad daylight with very little cover. Fortunately, they received a great deal of help from the Filipino resistance.