Rescue Dawn Movie
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A true story of survival... declassified.
This summer experience the incredible true story of one man's fight for freedom
This film tells the real-life story of U.S. fighter pilot Dieter Dengler, a German-American shot down and captured in Laos during the Vietnam War. Dengler organized a death-defying escape for a small band of POWs, including Duane Martin.
| Christian Bale | Dieter |
| Marshall Bell | Admiral |
| François Chau | Province Governor |
| Jeremy Davies | Gene |
| Craig Gellis | Corporal |
| GQ | Farkas |
| Zach Grenier | Squad Leader |
| Pat Healy | Norman |
| Toby Huss | Spook |
| Bonnie Z. Hutchinson | Nurse |
| Evan Jones | Lessard |
| Abhijati 'Meuk' Jusakul | Phisit |
| Mr. Tony B. King | Jet Pilot |
| Mr. Richard Manning | Helicopter Pilot |
| Mr. Garrett D. Melich | Rigger |
| Werner Herzog |
7.90 out of 10 (9177 votes)
Visitor Reviews
I believe I need a steak.
posted on 26 Aug 2009The more I see of Christian Bale, the more I want to see. Bale (Batman Begins, The prestige) was just phenomenal in this story of one man's courage and fortitude.Werner Herzog is to be commended for putting together a film that tells a story that should inspire all. From the opening beauty of the Thai countryside, marred by the explosions and fires of war, to the grim reality of a Laotian prison with meals of worms, this film continued to captivate.It is worth watching over and over to remind you of the sacrifice made by those in uniform.
Very disappointing!
posted on 22 Aug 2009This movie was a big disappointment. The flight scenes in the beginning are really unrealistic and crashing a plane and surviving without a scratch.... I mean come on! The little action there is are poorly executed. Basically there's not much going on in this movie except talking.On a positive note, the actors are doing a decent job. The interaction between them did occasionally make me interested. However, the main character (Bale), doesn't seem too concerned about his predicament, and one never feels the horror the POW's must have felt. The story is very simple and since we know Bale will escape there isn't much that keeps you interested in the movie.Sorry Mr. Herzog, this was far from good, and why IMDb gives it 7,4 is beyond me!
Epic
posted on 22 Aug 2009Rescue Dawn starts off as if it is a documentary, but soon after the opening crash, you'll be on the edge of your seat. Christian Bale acts amazing for his character. Him and a few other men are stuck in what looks like a concentration camp. Bale keeps talking about how they are gonna make a big escape. While some of the others say that its not possible, and even if they did escape, they woulden't survive in the jungle. Until, they realize that the guards wanna go home so they are planning to take them out in the jungle and shoot them. So then they realize that they have to make a stand and escape, and when they do, it becomes a fight for survival. The Environments in the Film are Great, you feel as if you are really in the jungle with the men. Everyone acts stunning, This is the film that you do not wanna miss seeing in the theater. Great Acting, great Effects, and amazing story make this a must see in general.
mediocre
posted on 12 Aug 2009Was really looking forward to this movie as I've been a big Christian Bale fan. As others have said, this has been done before and much better... nothing new here. The acting was bad all around, the sound was difficult to understand and there was no character development. On top of that the story was plainly unfaithful to real life. Making the two Americans seem weak or crazy while Dieter is made into the hero. This contradicts the facts and you wonder if Herzog's motivation was some weird German fantasy. In fact Dieter was not really the leader at all which makes this really disgraceful. See http://www.rescuedawnthetruth.com/. Even ignoring this disturbing fact, the movie was a great disappointment.
Bale just keeps getting better
posted on 02 Aug 2009A film with enough intelligence to let its audience digest the material without insulting us with biases or unncessary special effects, a film that moves at a perfect pace, recalling real time within particular scenes, an almost naturalistic approach to film-making, and rooted, masterful performances from a capable group of actors, special Van Zandt, and its leading man, Bale.Bale carries the film, demonstrating once more what an accomplished man he is, from his first scenes, as a cocky novice who must learn to adjust to a new environment, a horrible place where torture and death are one step away from anyone. Bale's performance is good because he lets us see the ravages of this physical and psychological torture on him. He appears to have undergone a dietary regime to mirror what his character undergoes. There are even moments when I was wondering whether he was actually eating the props. Bale's spirit never falters, even in the worst of times, and he somehow must find the courage, patience, and heart to help others in his group.The film is demanding on both the star and the audience, making us realize the ordeal these prisoners of war go through. It's heartbreaking to see how Van Zandt's spirit slowly surrenders to hopelessness, and it's more devastating to see him in his final scenes in the movie.Rarely has a film managed to show so many different emotions and with that much intensity. It is deceptively simple, yet very powerful and effective. Bale, Werzog, Van Zandt should all be recognized for their exemplary work.
'Rescue Dawn' makes for one of this year's most harrowing movie experiences
posted on 31 Jul 2009Acclaimed for his rigid style and dedication to the details of nature, Werner Herzog captivates his viewers by capturing the beauty within any and everything he so chooses to film. His latest project, 'Rescue Dawn,' though exceptional, is no exception. Herzog, who writes and directs for the film, again focuses his lens on Dieter Dengler – also the subject of Herzog's commended 1997 documentary, 'Little Dieter Needs to Fly' – and, with cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger ('Grizzly Man') at his side once more, creates an account as compelling and commanding as it is lusciously photographed.Taking place at the start of the Vietnam War, the film wastes no time before throwing Dieter's plane over Laos, where it is shot down just minutes after his highly classified mission had commenced. After surviving the plane crash, Dieter finds himself being very closely pursued by Vietcong, and ventures out into North Vietnam's unforgiving jungle, where he is eventually captured and bound. He is then taken to a POW camp where he meets two Americans, Duane and Gene (Zahn and Davies), and three other captives, who have been imprisoned in the camp for over two years.Over the course of many months, Dieter and his fellow prisoners of war devise a plan of escape, while enduring torture and starvation. However, once they've successfully fled the confinements of the camp, they face even more sever conditions in the jungle, where – with only a machete and a rifle – they must survive the climate, the hunger, and themselves.Christian Bale, who shredded over 100 lbs for the role, embodies his German-born subject with ferocity and fervor. His character, Dieter, has such a will to outlive the unbearable circumstances, and Bale exemplifies that will with chilling conviction. Strong supporting performances by Steve Zahn and Jeremy Davies – who's character, Gene, is sitting on the brink of insanity – depict fearlessly the terrible state to which these men had been reduced to. With Herzog's veteran hand at the helm and Bale's further-progressing talent illuminating the film, 'Rescue Dawn' makes for one of this year's most harrowing movie experiences that will inspire tears, smiles and, ultimately, an appreciation for what this man endured for the country he loved so much.
Destroyed by bad camera work and Werner Herzog
posted on 17 Jul 2009I really wanted to simply love this film. But after seeing it, I'm a bit disappointed. Sadly, because I had high expectations. I've been looking forward to see this film for several months now.Christian Bale is a superior actor, and he does exactly what is asked of in this film. Most actors are good here, and I don't really have any problems with anyones performance. Some scenes are tense, disturbing and genuinely scary.However, we've seen this before, and we've seen it made several times much better. And from what I understand, Herzog has made a very inaccurate screenplay, which I see as a bit dishonest and almost evil. Why play out Eugene this way? Seems to me that the people who were there say that Gene was not like this at all. There were no real reason to change the facts.One other thing that constantly bothered me was the bad camera work. The camera jumps, is unclear, has drops of water all over it, shakes and so on in amateurish ways. The person behind the camera must be a very inexperienced camera man, because this was bad.Also, the editing is well below common standards. Some scenes are too long and could've used a trim. The film is over two hours, which is about 40 minutes too much. There isn't simply that much material to cover here. Maybe if Herzog had added the seventh prisoner as it was in reality, we could've used a little bit longer time, but now, it's waste of time.We don't get a clear introduction to the other prisoners, which I think is sad. It would've been much more interesting to actually see the group grow, and see the group efforts and also play out the hostility from the guards.We get to know the guards by their alias names given to them by the prisoners, but we never understand WHY Little Hitler is called Little Hitler. For being a film where people are tortured in a jungle prison, there's very little torture and very little prison.The jungle is there, and that's about the best in the whole film.Herzog is a boring schmuck who obviously has no clue on how to direct a film so it becomes interesting, exciting and scary. At some scenes he gets lucky, but I doubt it's because of skill...Herzog made documentaries before, and rather controversial ones I've understood. I've never seen anything else from him, and quite frankly, after watching RESCUE DAWN, I'm not so interested in doing so either.Seems to me that Herzog has his own idea on what "reality" is. It is also clear for me that he doesn't understand the drama format, or what to do with it.Overall RESCUE DAWN is not a bad film - it's just ruined by a bad director and an idiot behind the camera. Everything in front of the camera is nice and professional.With another director, a more truthful script and a better camera man, this could've been a classic! 6/10
My View
posted on 05 Jul 2009I have seen plenty of Vietnam war films and this one has to be one of the best. Not to say that others such as "Flight of the Intruder", "Casulties of War" or "Platoon" or my all time favorite "Green Berets" is beaten by this film. I like the story that was told. The fight for life not just for self but for others as well. Like all war films it only shows a small portion of what happened or might have happened. I watch these type of films to try to understand the struggle of our fighting men and women. I salute them and pray that God's Hand would be with them all. God Bless America
Flawless story, but flaw-filled film
posted on 05 Jul 2009Rescue Dawn is a great Veit Nam war film if, and only if, you haven't been lucky enough to see The Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, Platoon, and Full Metal Jacket. What Rescue Dawn lacks that these other famous titles have is development. Not one character in Rescue Dawn is developed, not even Christian Bale's. His character is introduced into the movie, faces conflict, and eventually triumphs. But what is missing is character development. We don't know (aside from a short story) why He likes to fly, and the relationship he has with his girlfriend is never expanded upon, but merely alluded to. The best way to develop a character is through dialogue, another key ingredient this movie is missing. Our disbelief cannot be completely suspended until we are best friends with the main character. I didn't feel Dieter Denglers pain, because I didn't believe that he felt it. In a directorial point of view, it was as good as it could have been with the given script. Not to say Christian Bale is a bad actor, because he is a very talented dedicated actor, one of the best of our time. But the script was, for lack of a better word, shitty. Directing was average, script was shitty, and acting- because of the script- was average. They only thing that wasn't under Werner Herzog's control was the story, which was great.
Outstanding tale of survival
posted on 03 Jul 2009If you're a big fan of the mad German genius Werner Herzog, you might be disappointed in this, his first foray into Hollywood film-making. This is polished and not at all experimental. However, to me it feels like Herzog, when he stepped up to the plate, said to himself, "Well, I can make an American film. And I can make a better one than 95% of American films." And there's nothing wrong with that. The film is a dramatization of the events retold in Herzog's earlier documentary Little Dieter Needs to Fly. Christian Bale plays Dieter Dengler, an American citizen and German emigré who had one of the most impressive survival instincts ever seen in a human being. Shot down in Laos in the opening throes of the Vietnam War, he was taken to a brutal POW camp where he met two other American POWs (Jeremy Davies and Steven Zahn in the film) and three Asian men who had worked with the enemy. The two Americans had been there for an average of a couple of years, and had all but given up hope (the Davies character is sure there will be peace soon enough). Through his amazing ingenuity, Dieter planned a heroic escape. Most of the movie takes place in the POW camp. Most of what I remember from Little Dieter Needs to Fly, which I saw around two years ago, is the escape. It's a disturbing, horrifying tale of survival. I would have liked this part to be the longer, but it works very well. It's certainly harrowing. I was disappointed that one of the images I really remember from the original film did not appear: the bear that stalked Dieter during his final days wandering in the jungle. He considered it almost a friend, but in the back of his mind realized it was following him because it wanted to eat him. Herzog keeps things extremely subtle, telling them very much the way they happened. The story develops more like real life, not like a movie. It keeps melodrama to a minimum. My only problem is how it ends. The ending is way too boisterous and uplifting. Dieter Dengler was most definitely an upbeat kind of guy, but his suffering and the awful things that he saw – heck, with the awful things that we just experienced with him, so vivid is this movie – don't lead well to the celebration that ends the movie. I very much liked this film, and think it is one of the best I've seen so far this year.
Good movie but weak in its most crucial moments.
posted on 25 Jun 2009This is definitely a very professionally made movie with also some great acting but the movie falls short with its most crucial and emotional moments and also ends on a very false note.It's also made fairly obviously throughout this movie that it had a fairly low budget. Some of the special effects are simply below par by todays standards and the plane crash itself is also done quite laughable to be honest, clearly because they didn't had the right resources and money to do it any better. Bet most of the money went into the fact that his movie was shot in location in Thailand. Accordingly, the movie had a $10,000,000 budget, so no wonder the movie looked the way it did. But I have to admit that the movie is definitely better looking then its budget might indicate. Werner Herzog shows he's a capable director, who can work around things.The story on its own is quite good and intriguing, also not in the least because its based on a true story, though the movie obviously takes lots of liberties with it. The movie has some good and effective psychological elements such as the question to escape or not to escape. The movie does a good job at getting you in the minds of the prisoners and be able to understand each of their motivations. But as far as POW movies go, the movie doesn't really provide anything new or shocking. The movie touches all fairly familiar grounds and perhaps doesn't do a good enough job creating a tense and dangerous atmosphere of a POW camp. Or perhaps this is also because of the reason that you just KNOW in advance that at least the main character escapes and survives, since this movie got based on his story.The ending should had been way more smaller and personal, to make it also more emotional and therefore powerful and effective. It now instead has a big, totally unbelievable and overblown typical Hollywood ending. I don't know what it is with German directors but their are often more patriotic and overblown when it comes down to Hollywood and American elements, then most American directors. For example also see Roland Emmerich, who made movies such as "Independence Day" and "The Patriot".Perhaps its the cast, next to its professional directing, that make the movie still work out as a good one. Christian Bale is great as always (when will he get his Oscar?), in a role for which he once more lost a significant amount of weight. Same goes for the other actors portraying the prisoners, such as Steve Zahn and Jeremy Davies. Also especially is really great in his role. He has a great, distinctive and very recognizable way of acting.It's a real good movie but really, is it worthy of all that praise and high rating on here? Really a bit too much credit all.7/10
worst movie of 2006
posted on 23 Jun 2009come on everyone you have got to be kidding! an 8 out of 10. this is the most ridiculous rating for quite possibly the worst movie i have seen in a decade. i seriously wonder what is wrong with you people that think this is anything near a decent movie. i would rather be forced into watching bad ben affleck films all day long while someone was shoving bamboo slivers under my finger nails than have to watch rescue dawn again. And for Christian bale, come on, i did not think it could get much worse after harsh times but i guess he can do worse. in my book bale just got dropped from the pretty good actor list to the i suck at acting and should probably think a little harder about the films i decide to suck in. i have never been more bored in my life this film was absolutely terrible.
Don't bail on this one
posted on 03 Jun 2009It's no 'Saving Private Ryan' or 'Platoon', but Werner Herzog's Rescue Dawn is smart and engaging enough to be worth watching for a look at humanity and survival.Rescue Dawn is the story of Dieter Dengler, an American pilot who in 1965 crashed his plane in Laos during the Vietnam war. He was then held prisoner along with a handful of other individuals, until he led them to escape. He then had to survive the jungle during the flood season, with little to eat and no shoes, but he was eventually rescued.This story makes a great premise for a film, and the execution by Herzog is competent, but it does have its weakness. While Rescue Dawn may be adventurous, it is not necessarily a powerful film like Platoon. One problem for example is how the Vietcong soldiers are portrayed as dumb jerks rather than tough fighters. There is little in the way of heavy drama, tension or brutality, although it does have its moments. The characterization and acting on the other hand is superb. Christian Bale gives a strong performance, and one that is far more colorful then his portrayal of Batman with his over the top Robbie Benson type voice.The photography of the jungle is illustrious, and it really gives the viewer an idea of how hard the film crew must've worked. The camera is place directly in rapids, mud slides, acres of thick vines for some effective shots.Werner Herzog is a strange filmmaker, but an interesting thinker. His body of work shows a man who knows how to tell compelling stories about people. This one may not be as emotional as 'Grizzly Man' or as surreal as 'The Wild Blue Yonder', but Rescue Dawn is a story that does shine through.
'If it is full, empty it. If it is empty, fill it'!
posted on 26 May 2009So speaks Dieter Dengler when asked for comment at the end of his journey of jungle captivity in Laos. RESCUE DAWN is as much about the courage and fortitude of a captured soldier during wartime as it is about a true incident. From the inherent optimism of pilot Dieter Dengler (played with commitment and finesse by Christian Bale) the story transcends biopic and offers lessons for life in general; the human spirit can be indefatigable.Writer/director Werner Herzog has expanded his 1997 documentary about Dieter Dengler and in doing so he has provided us entry into the psyches of soldiers captured by the enemy and the extraordinarily trying conditions in which they survive. The optimistic and eager Dengler is sent on a classified mission to bomb certain targets in Laos in 1965 with his fellow pilots including his best friend Spook (Toby Huss). Denlger is shot down and captured, interrogated, tortured, and placed in a prison with fellow inmates Duane (Steve Zahn in a career changing superb performance), Gene (the emaciated and excellent Jeremy Davies), Phisit (Abhijati 'Meuk' Jusakul), and Procet (Lek Chaiyan Chunsuttiwat). The living conditions are deplorable: the men are starved, chained together making even the possibility of caring for bodily functions negligible, and the moral is low. Dengler changes that using his ingenuity and immediately plans for escape. Duane aids Dengler but Gene fears the consequences of an aborted escape attempt. Yet with Dengler's expertise and cunning the escape into the jungle is planned and is essentially successful - until the other enemy (the jungle) reduces the forces to one. As Dengler is rescued he is left with the ghosts of his fellow inmates, a factor that will haunt him and alter his life after rescue.Christian Bale's performance is near perfect as are the performances by Zahn and Davies. The film feels too long at times but that also suggests that director Herzog wants the audience to understand the mental deterioration and stagnant time cycle that cripples prisoners of war. The atmosphere of the prison camp is presented well and if the ending of the film becomes a bit too 'Hollywood', after the 2+ hours of prison confinement that is somewhat of a relief. RESCUE DAWN is a powerful film with some of the best acting of the year's crop and certainly deserves the attention of a wide audience. Grady Harp
A Gripping True Story.
posted on 22 May 2009Another fine performance from Christian Bale and fine support from all including Jeremy Davies make 'Rescue Dawn' an enthralling film.The fact that it is based on a true story make this film far more intriguing. Werner Herzog delivers knowing that he does not have to plunge through desperate torture scenes or heavy violence to engage the viewer. Furthermore, it has moments of lightness, which make an acknowledgment of the strength of the human spirit in circumstances of despair.It is shot in a grainy tone that helps maintains a sense of realness, and the camera is worked effectively to keep it grounded in the personal struggle of Bale and his fellow POWs. Sadly, come the end we learn nothing of his fellow POWs and their personal outcomes, which is a real shame.Rescue Dawn is an entertaining and gripping true story.
Beautifully shot and one heck of a thriller
posted on 16 May 2009I wanted to see this in the theaters but because of it being a limited release, I wasn't able too. This as of right now is one of the five best movies that I've seen this year.What can I say about Christian Bale. He has already established himself as one of the better actors in this decade. He also always seems to do a different accent in every movie! Well for starters, the poor guy lost 55 pounds to do this movie. People who follow Bale know that he lost 60 pounds to do the The Machinist than gained 90 pounds to do batman Begins. So to lose all the weight for this movie is very respectful in my eyes.Anyways, his performance was great in this movie. He plays a pilot (named Dieter Dengler) during the Vietnam war that is shot down. He is held hostage and that is where he meets Steve Zahn's character (Duane). Together and four others, they attempt a very dangerous escape which the outside may be even more dangerous than inside. There were some moments in this movie that my heart pounded so hard that I wanted to fast forward (of course I didn't).It was very well shot and the cinematography was beautiful and not overdone. The movie felt very real to me especially Steve Zahn's performance. We all know Zahn from his comedies and it is hard to take him seriously in a dramatic role. He pulls it off very well and maybe even outshines Bale.This is the best thriller of the year. Excellent movie. My verdict A-.
A nice movie but not a fantastic one
posted on 16 May 2009Well, I'm not sorry for watching this movie but, honestly, i saw better. What is different from another Vietnam movies is a little of drama and realism but is not enough for transforming that war story in a film like Saving the private Rian . Christian Baile play like usually, great. In my opinion, this actor will be a future Oscar winner. He have enough talent for extracting anything from a humble role (an American prisoner in Laos during the Vietnam war)and giving to this movie some consistency and dramatic touch.Anyway, the images from the Laos jungle were absolutely fantastic and the almighty green of nature makes me feel great.
Harrowing jungle tale
posted on 08 May 2009On his first foray into combat Fl Lt Dieter Dengler is shot down over Laos while on a top secret mission. He is captured by the Vietcong and held captive in shocking conditions in a jungle hideaway. Dengler immediately makes plans to escape with his fellow captives. The story of Dieter Dengler is apparently based on a true story that had previously been filmed as a docu-drama/reenactment style project, Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997) that was also directed by Herzog and starred the real life Dengler. Dengler's story is a harrowing one but Herzog resists the urge to show the gory details. The jungle locations are nothing short of stunning as you'd expect with a Herzog film and the soundtrack is perfectly suited. The film as a whole is always interesting but lacks that magic spark to enliven this viewer. Bale as the lead is fine, I like the guy a lot but this isn't one of his most memorable performances
Grit, determination and despair.
posted on 06 May 2009This is a compelling and altruistic telling of the Vietnam War situated in the early days of the conflict when the minds and attitudes of soldiers were entrenched in benevolence and passion, emotions were high and support was widespread, but despite this one man is moved to a state of bewilderment and despair. Based on a true story Rescue Dawn takes place in Laos, 1966 a few years before the outbreak of the Vietnam War. A German-American pilot called Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale) crash lands on his maiden voyage and is captured by Laotian Soldiers, he is escorted to a POW camp where he meets fellow prisoners and US soldiers. Once there he quickly becomes integrated with their harsh way of life, but manages to convince them to attempt escape with him. Christian Bale is arguably one of the best actors to come out of Wales; such is his dedication to his profession that he has employed a different accent for every one of his films and when required will engage in rapid weight gain or loss. He is quickly becoming a favoured actor of mine; and his performance in Rescue Dawn is among his best.Directed by the widely acclaimed European director Werner Herzog Rescue Dawn is littered with examples of auteurship, personified by personal iconography and beautiful scenery that references some of his earliest work. It's not only the misc-en-scene that Werzog fans will recognise but the narrative is comparable to the despair and perilous power struggles found in Aguirre der Zorne Gottes (1972) and the grit and determination experienced by the lead character in Fitzcarraldo (1982). With such a familiar journey of character employed Herzog utilises a dexterity of camera-work and cinematography that sets this film apart. However, undeterred by such talent, some critics have drawn allegories with the contemporary conflict in Iraq - but this is not a film routed in propaganda and nor does it claim to be. This is further supported by Herzog's previous work since Rescue Dawn is a fictional remake based on a his own documentary made in 1997 called Little Dieter Needs To Fly, in which the real Dieter Dengler talks about his experiences and it would not be in the interests of a director of such calibre and intellectual standing to pander to the political notions of studios. In fact if Herzog does have any alternate themes embodied in this work it would most likely be the intertextuality. Evidence of this involves Christian Bale as Dieter who at one point in the film mentions that ever since he was a kid he's wanted his wings and that in essence he's an outsider involved in a conflict he knows little about - direct references to (almost a continuation of) Christian Bales character Jamie Graham in Empire of the Sun (1987).Herzog manages to capture a sense of reality that would escape many other directors, he utilises his skills to show how the harshness of their predicament is derived from the conditions and the surroundings in which they are imprisoned, not just by the captors or prison guards. Some of the finest scenes in the film are presented in long takes with no dialogue just the all encompassing sound of loneliness which is reinforced by the unforgiving weather conditions. Rescue Dawn is a great film and although it's not Herzogs best, its rousing camera-work and emotive performances make this film a joy to experience.
Wow! Incredible film
posted on 30 Aug 2009Never commented before here, but a very frequent visitor for years. I've been tempted to post in the past on others, but there's no way I could pass this one up. I've have to tell you what I've just experienced. Having just finished watching this, it may very well be the best film I've seen. Christian Bale "made" this film. I honestly cannot think of any other actor being able to accomplish what Christian has here. Is there an Oscar in the house?? What an incredible performance! Zahn's role is nothing short of amazing to boot. How this was missed at the box office perplexes me to all ends. This masterpiece of a film will have you from the beginning. Folks, you've gotta see one of the best films made.