IMDb 0 1984 HD

The Cowra Breakout

The Cowra Breakout

1984
Action Drama TV Movie War
250 min G NA
4.5 / 10
0 IMDB

In August 1944, 1104 Japanese prisoners of war at the Australian POW camp at Cowra stage a mass breakout. Four guards are killed in the escape, and 231…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Phillip Noyce / Chris Noonan
Starring
Alan David Lee

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

historical tragic dramatic intense brutal grim impactful serious somber important harrowing factual

Reviews

I
Isabelle Dubois
May 21, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

This film tackles the monumental and tragic Cowra POW breakout of 1944 with a determined, if somewhat restrained, hand. The narrative focuses on the facts of the event: the scale of the escape, the lives lost on both…

O
Oliver Davies
May 21, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

A potent and vital piece of Australian cinema, 'The Cowra Breakout' delivers a powerful account of the 1944 mass escape. The film masterfully balances the historical enormity of the event with the personal tragedies involved. The direction ensures…

S
Sophia Chen
May 21, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

As a retelling of the infamous Cowra breakout, this 1984 film presents a challenging subject matter. The sheer scale of the prisoner escape and the resulting fatalities are central to its narrative, and the film does not shy…

M
Marcus Thorne
May 21, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

'The Cowra Breakout' succeeds in bringing the harrowing reality of the 1944 mass escape to the screen with considerable impact. The film captures the desperation that fuelled the POWs' audacious plan and the subsequent chaos. It’s a commendably…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 21, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

This dramatisation of the 1944 Cowra breakout offers a stark, unflinching look at a pivotal moment in Australian wartime history. The film tackles the sheer scale of the event, depicting the desperate bid for freedom by over a…

FAQs

'The Cowra Breakout' holds significance for its unflinching portrayal of a unique and devastating event in Australian military history. It tackles themes of captivity, desperation, and the clash of cultures during wartime. The film's commitment to depicting the scale and impact of the 1944 breakout offers a potent historical drama, contributing to the broader narrative of Australia's wartime experiences and its relationship with POWs.