Rescue Dawn

Reviewed by:
Pete Hammond

A harrowing and inspiring true tale of courage and endurance, Rescue Dawn shows us the best in ourselves. Returning to the source material of his 1997 documentary, Little Dieter Needs to Fly, director Werner Herzog now dramatizes the story of a pilot, Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale), who was shot down over Laos in 1965 during the Vietnam War. The film focuses on his capture and torture by Laotian soldiers and his being incarcerated in a POW camp, where he eventually leads the complacent prisoners on a great escape through the treacherous snake-riddled jungles. Among those he enlists are two American GI's (Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies) biding their time until the war ends, something Dengler (Welsh-born in real life, but played by Bale with an American accent) wisely isn't waiting for. In the film's engrossing middle, we get to know these captives and get invested in their personal stories; so by the time the escape takes place, we are right there with them with a rooting interest in the outcome. With obvious parallels to Iraq, these events, now 40 years old, take on special interest. And the fact that realism freak Herzog is obsessed with telling the truth only makes the movie that much more compelling, if difficult at times to watch. Bale delivers a heroic performance; and among the other POW's, Steve Zahn is simply outstanding.

Share