Ambush Bay

Description

General MacArthur doesn't know it, but he's headed for an ambush. Hugh O'Brian, Mickey Rooney and James Mitchum star in this "well-made" (Los Angeles Times) World War II nail-biter that'll keep you on the edge of your seat with "consistent excitement" (The Film Daily) right until the explosive ending. A marine patrol secretly lands on the Japanese-occupied island of Siarago. Their mission: to locate a Japanese-American girl with vital information concerning General MacArthur's pending Philippine invasion. What they uncover instead is a Japanese plot to detonate underwater mines as the US fleet enters the bay. Cut off from outside communication, these brave marines must find a way to prevent what could be the worst naval tragedy from ever happening.

Customer Reviews:

Basically a good movie that portrays the wrong unit.......2007-07-17

A squad of Marines is inserted onto a Philippine island in 1944 by seaplane and rubber raft for a scouting mission prior to MacArthur's invasion. They link up with a Philippine Guerrilla to locate a Japanese American agent with vital information.

The movie has a good cast and lots of good action scenes, I just can't give it five stars due to one large technical inaccuracy; the Marine Corps did not operate in the Philippines in 1944, they were in the Central Pacific at the time. And they certainly didn't perform special reconnaissance for MacArthur.

The Sixth Army Special Reconnaissance Unit - also known as the Alamo Scouts - did perform many missions similar to the one portrayed in this movie, both on New Guinea and in the Philippines.

The Alamo Scouts worked in small teams, were often inserted by seaplane and rubber raft, wore the leopard pattern camouflage and soft caps worn by the Marines in this movie, and would sometimes liaison with Philippine Guerrillas.

Having the Marines on a scouting mission in the Philippines is sort of like having the Army invade Tarawa. Still, all in all, this is a fun movie to watch. Strictly speaking, it isn't factual, but it speaks to some of the facts. I could have given it five stars if the unit had been portrayed as Alamo Scouts.

People knowledgeable in WWII weapons will probably notice the scoped M1 sniper rifle carried by one of the Marines isn't a true M1C or M1D configuration as it should have been.

Entertaining, if somewhat cliched, WWII adventure.......2007-03-23

Ambush Bay is an entertaining WWII action movie that uses too many war movie cliches, but overall doesn't take away the enjoyment of an exciting movie. In October 1944, a specialist team of Marines lands in the Phillipines to complete a mission, meeting a source that has some key information, that could play a big part in the retaking of the islands. Among the nine-man team is a inexperienced radio man, Grenier, who was a last minute replacement and is not quite sure why he had to come along. While trekking through the jungle, Grenier must try and fit in without having the team turn on him. But as the team of Marines travels across the island, they find themselves battling the Japanese every step of the way, and their numbers begin to dwindle. The story isn't groundbreaking, and it doesn't need to be, the movie moves at a lightning quick pace and there is action around every corner. At times, the characters are nothing more than stereotypes, but you don't even notice, the action moves too quickly. Non-stop fun throughout with plenty of action and excitement.

With a script that focuses on three main characters, Hugh O'Brian plays the lead, Sgt. Steve Corey, a tough-as-nails veteran who finds himself in command after the mission leader is killed early on. O'Brian brings a hard-edged touch to the role as the no-nonsense leader. Mickey Rooney seems to be having a great time as Gunnery Sgt. Ernie Wartell, O'Brian right hand man who seems to be the only one trying to help Private Grenier, the inexperienced radioman. Grenier is played by James Mitchum, and though he might not have the acting chops his father Robert did, James is pretty good in the part. Grenier narrates the film so as a viewer I found myself feeling for him and this very dangerous, confusing situation he finds himself in. The rest of the nine-man team is given little to do in the way of lines, but they don't stick around long. Tisa Chang plays Miyazaki, the spy in the Phillipines who has some key information that could save the invasion by MacArthur that finds herself attractive to O'Brian's Sgt. Corey. The DVD has a nice-looking widescreen presentation, the movie was filmed on location in the Phillipines and really benefits from it, and a theatrical trailer. Overall, an exciting, action-packed WWII movie in the Pacific with good performances from its three main leads. Give Ambush Bay a try!

Ambush Bay -- not art.......2007-03-13

Ambush Bay is not art. It is not entertainment. It is not even interesting. Ambush Bay is without a doubt one of the worst WWII movies ever produced. The best part of this movie is Robert Mitchum's red cap, worn while he is in the Philippine jungle hiding from Japanese soldiers. Red cap.... Why not wear universal orange?

I've seen the movie twice. Once with the sound on. It was awful. I watched it again, with the sound off. It was better this second time. It had the feel, without sound, of an ok comedy. With the sound it was pathetic.

Don't both buying it. Spend your money on something more useful or entertaining.

Understated.......2007-03-08

I enjoyed this movie very much. True it's not a classic war film but it stands out among the run-of-the-mill TV type of fare. The ending was curiously muted but it made the film raise itself a few notches. The weaponry was accurate (although I doubt the silencers used on both pistol and carbine were WW2 issue) and the uniforms tally with the photographs I have seen of USMC reconnaisance units. Definitely Hugh O'Brian's best work.

Decent WWII Action Fiction.......2007-02-12

"Ambush Bay" is a decent feature with an interesting plot, but viewers need to temper their expectations. It's a fictional World War II action drama about a Marine Corps reconnaissance team dispatched to the Japanese-occupied Island of Siargao in support of a pending U.S. amphibious invasion. Their mission is to link up with a Japanese-American woman and radio back intelligence information she has on a coastal bay to be used for the assault. The reconnaissance turns into a raid after they find an elaborate minefield in the bay that threatens disaster for the invasion force, and are unable to warn higher headquarters when their radio is destroyed in action.

The plot is interesting and the movie has a good cast with Hugh O'Brian as First Sergeant Corey, Mickey Rooney as Gunnery Sergeant Wartell and James Mitchum as Private Grenier. Mitchum's character is an airman radio operator assigned to the Marine team, being the odd man among a team of highly trained recon Marines, and serves as the audience's observer and narrator for the story. While there are other Marines on the team, O'Brian's character takes the lead early after their commander is killed and Rooney gives balance as a career soldier who doesn't take himself too seriously.

While the movie has a good story, it's a modest production. Action receives priority over tactical logic as the recon team stumbles across Japanese units, resulting in several firefights that whittle the team down to the main characters. O'Brian overdoes his macho persona and Mitchum's character is a bit contrived as an airman ill-suited for such a high-risk mission. While the movie boasts on-location filming in the Philippines, the casting of Filipino actors as Japanese soldiers and the use of a contemporary military base for the climatic sequence waters down the authentic environment. As well, the actors move like they're on a nature hike rather than a trained Marine team behind enemy lines. The music soundtrack is okay, but sounds akin to "Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957) with a melodramatic tone.

It's a good "B" movie for light-hearted action entertainment. The DVD's imagery and sound are good.

DVD:

DVD

DVD