War is hell on character and pacing in "The Great Raid." Recounting what it calls the most successful rescue mission in U.S. military history, the film brings a spectacular but little-known chapter of World War II to the big screen with meticulous attention to period detail -- and almost none to compelling narrative. Even audiences predisposed to sagas of American valor or nostalgic for the good old days of unswerving wartime coalitions will find little here beyond the retro patina to grab their attention.

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