I got the chance to watch "The Great Raid" not just because of Filipino actor Cesar Montano (I can't believe I'm posting his picture here too!), but because of the historical relevance it has.
The movie doesn't have the grand special effects as "Pearl Harbor" or other war movies, but I did appreciate it... story wise. Shot entirely in Australia, I'd say they really did a wonderful job in depicting Philippine countryside. In the Manila scenes, I could've sworn I saw the Manila City Hall in the background.
The opening scene of the movie showed American POW being led into tunnels (in a Palawan prison camp) by Japanese soldiers. Poured gasoline and setting them on fire. American soldiers who were able to get out of the tunnel were shot by the Japanese.
I've got this urged to poke at my seatmate and say "Hey.. those tunnels are near my grandmother's house!" (There are first account details of this in my grandmother's book, 'Puerto Princesa during the Second World War: A Narrative History 1941-1945')
There were good and (mostly)bad reviews about it, but yeah, it's their opinion. I could not agree more with the review given by Roger Ebert . Proud to be Filipino, I am!
Cesar Montano
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