The Raiders of Leyte Gulf (1963) starring Leopoldo Salcedo, Michael Parsons, Efren Reyes, Jennings Sturgeon, Eddie Mesa, Liza Moreno directed by Eddie Romero Movie Review

The Raiders of Leyte Gulf (1963)   2/52/52/52/52/5


The Raiders of Leyte Gulf (1963) starring Leopoldo Salcedo, Michael Parsons

A Huge Gulf Between This and Hollywood

Whilst carrying out a coastal survey off of Leyte, U. S. intelligence officer Emmett Wilson (Jennings Sturgeon) is captured by Japanese soldiers and is tortured to try and make him spill his guts over American invasion plans. Staying tight lipped he has to watch as Japanese Commander Captain Akira (Efren Reyes) reluctantly takes to executing Filipino's until he speaks. Meanwhile Lieut. Robert Grimm (Michael Parsons) parachutes in and rallies the Filipino guerrillas to aid him in an attack on the Japanese so that he can rescue Wilson.

The words basic spring to mind as I watch "The Raiders of Leyte Gulf" an exceptionally low budget war movie from 1963 which at times looks more like a home movie than something made for the big screen. But "The Raiders of Leyte Gulf" is interesting purely because writer and director Eddie Romero was from the Philippines and with this being a war move involving Filipino guerrillas and civilians you wonder how it will triumph their efforts. Unfortunately it is so basic it doesn't do a very good job and it becomes a slog to watch.

Now everything about "The Raiders of Leyte Gulf" is basic starting with the storyline about a rescue attempt. It is a text book idea which only gets interesting during the movies dying moments which is purely down to the way the action plays out, not entirely believably I might add. But the basic continues to trouble this movie with some dull camera work and poor editing, editing which uses some footage again and again due to I presume the budge restrictions. But then there is the acting and whilst the script feels raw the acting is seriously wooden, stiff and devoid of emotion or character depth. I could go on but part of me feels sorry for the movie as if this was made with Hollywood stars and a decent budget it would have been okay.

What this all boils down to is that "The Raiders of Leyte Gulf" is a poor war movie, dogged by numerous issues and more than I care to mention in this review. But it does have one thing going for it and that is director Eddie Romero making a war movie about his people.


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