Suicide Battalion

This film takes place in the Philippines during World War 2 with an American officer named "Major Matt McCormack" (Mike Connors) being told that the Japanese Army has captured a key building where top-secret documents have been stored. With that in mind, Major McCormack is ordered to lead a small patrol comprised of volunteers to go behind enemy lines and destroy the building before the Japanese have a chance to find where these documents are hidden. The problem is that the odds of any of these men returning back to their battalion alive and well is extremely small. To that effect, each of them is offered a weekend pass and some money to spend at a local bar before heading out--and they all plan to make the most of it. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a rather weak movie due in large part to the extremely unrealistic plot. For starters, for a small squad of this size, it was more than a bit unusual to have two officers assigned to it--especially one with the rank of major. To add insult to injury, the other officer named "Lieutenant Chet Hall" (Bing Russell) would never behave in such a disrespectful manner toward his superior. It just wouldn't happen. That being said, it is my belief that whoever wrote the script never served in the military. But that's Hollywood for you. Throw in its obvious low-budget constraints, and I have difficulty rather this movie any higher than I have. Below average.