The Great Raid

If you want action that respects the story underneath it, The Great Raid is available in the US on Hoopla right now. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. Its 7/10 TMDB score, built from 387 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Benjamin Bratt's performance is the throughline that holds the set pieces together. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Hoopla.

There is a reason The Great Raid keeps coming up in conversation. The set pieces are impressive, but it is the story underneath them that gives The Great Raid its staying power. 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. Benjamin Bratt and James Franco lead a cast that keeps the chaos grounded in who's actually at stake. The Great Raid came out in 2005. What separates The Great Raid from disposable action entertainment is character work that survives the explosions. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

The Great Raid is the kind of thing you put on to unwind and find yourself sitting forward twenty minutes in. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Benjamin Bratt is the obvious draw, but the supporting cast gives the action the context it needs to land. The action holds up because the character work underneath it never lets up.

The Great Raid was released in 2005, directed by John Dahl. The full 132-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.