| In the tradition of The Great Escape and The Deer Hunter, Rescue Dawn is Werner Herzog's take on the pulse-pounding POW genre. Unlike most such efforts, however, his isn't just based on a true story, it's a remake of his 1997 documentary Little Dieter Needs to Fly. German-born Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale, who first made his mark in Steven Spielberg’s prison camp drama Empire of the Sun) has longed to pilot a plane since he was a boy. When he joins the Navy during the Vietnam War, he gets his wish. Then he's shot down over Laos. Though he survives, Dengler is captured by the Pathet Lao. Through his internment, he meets Duane Martin (Steve Zahn in his finest performance), with whom he becomes fast friends. While Dengler is arrogant and resourceful, Martin is patient and humble. With Dengler's assistance, the prisoners escape, but the untamed wilderness turns out to be just as dangerous (cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger ably captures its cruel beauty). Those who've seen Little Dieter know how this tale ends. Suffice to say, Herzog's reenactment makes for rousing entertainment. If the film has a flaw, it's that the rah-rah finale plays like something from out of a mainstream sports movie. That quibble aside, the actors, including Jeremy Davies as a delusional campmate and Toby Huss as a fellow flyer, are aces. And Herzog, who's been concentrating on nonfiction, like Grizzly Man, proves he can direct a Hollywood-style action epic with the best of 'em. --Kathleen C. Fennessy |
|
 howdy |
| Review Date: November 29, 2007 |
| Reviewer: R. M. Williams, tucson, arizona USA |
A very good movie.
unlike any war, vietnam, or prisoner of war story i can remember watching or reading.
it is the story of Dieter Dengler, the only US Navy pilot to escape from the Pathet Lao.
The story is a contrast of opposing ways of looking at both the world and yourself.
Dengler's vs. two other prisoners in the camp, one of resignation, the other one an outward optimism (rescue will come before the rainy season starts), but really another form of resignation and pessimism (because it isn't joined to action but to waiting).
What i find extraordinary is not the survival of people in such awful conditions, but how a single person, sustaining what really is an absurd optimism can uplift and motivate the whole group.
I think this is the message that the director wishes people to take home, optimism maybe misplaced, but without it hope flees. It is better to be an out of place foolish optimist then to resign yourself to your surroundings and give up.
It is an extraordinary message and it is provided to us in the movie with forcefulness and with a subdued passion for life that really ought to rub off on each viewer as she/he looks at their lives and says "things really aren't that bad", "i just need to get moving in the right direction", "with the right attitude-like Dengler's".
Where do people like this come from?
How do they sustain their optimism in situations that destroy other people?
If i can't be that person, how do i get to meet one and learn from watching them?
It is a worthwhile to own movie, i can only imagine what Dengler was like in person from watching the movie, i've never personally met anyone quite like him.
so i'm glad i "met" him in the movie. |
More than 90% Accurate
|
| Review Date: January 21, 2008 |
| Reviewer: S. E MCGOWAN, Missouri City, TX United States |
Let me start this by saying that I was a personal participant in the rescue of Dieter Dengler. I was the loadmaster on the C-130 crew that spotted the fires he set and it was with a parachute from one of the flares he dropped that he signaled the pilot who finally saw him and effected his rescue. I am also an accomplished author and a frequent contributor to VIETNAM magazine.
With that said I must say that after reading Dieter's book and seeing the previous documentary, I am convinced that the criticims put forth regarding the accuracy of the movie are unfounded. Dengler makes it clear in his book that there was bad-blood between the Americans and the Thais and also makes it clear that it was he, in particular, who devised the escape plan. The movie version of his story condenses some events but that is what movies do. It also shows his fires being spotted by helicopters when it was actually a C-130 crew that he signaled, but so what? The movie was shot on location in Thailand using available resources and attention to detail is not possible in that kind of situation. What amazes me is that events depicted in the movie that I thought at the time were hookey actually happened, particularly the scene where his squadron mates spirited him out of the hospital and back to the carrier. As war movies go, this is probably the most historically accurate I've ever seen. As for how Gene DeBruin is portrayed, I would suggest that critics read Dengler's book. While he may be more kooky in the movie than in real life, Dengler implies that he was a little bit off his rocker.
Incidentally, as a fan of EMPIRE OF THE SUN, I don't think Herzog could have made a better choice than Christian Bale to portray a pilot in a survival situation. |
One of the better films of 2007.
|
| Review Date: February 17, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Puzzle box, Kuwait |
| Christian Bale gives us yet another fantastic performance this time as U.S. fighter pilot Dieter Dengler whos plane gets shot down in Laos during the early stages of the Vietnam war, he then gets captured, tortured and then eventually sent to a remote P.O.W camp with some other prisoners from the U.S. where he gets held there for several years. This film was inspired by true events, I'm not sure how accurate it is since I didn't have a clue who this guy was before the film but it was quite an extraordinary war/drama film. Anyway the film was directed by Warner Herzog who is a brilliant and accomplished German director who is mostly known for his foreign films this was probably his first mainstream hollywood film, Rescue Dawn had some great cinematography over the vast landscapes and had some nicely shot scenes in the jungle which is really nice to look at not to mention it was visually stunning. The performances from the cast was excellent and definitely worth watching especially from Christian Bale and Steve Zahn as Duane Martin who later joins Dieter in an escape which leads them both to survive outside in the wilderness. I would say that the film was very good however there were a couple of scenes which I thought were a bit corny and lame, it happens towards the end which involves a speech about American patriotism and courage and whatever since I'm not American I just felt bored with this part but the rest of this film was great so I would give it 4.5/5 stars check it out. |
...and Christian Bale for "Rescue Dawn"...the envelope please...CHRISTIAN BALE!!!
|
| Review Date: September 30, 2007 |
| Reviewer: All Red, USA |
Is there anything and any part that Christian Bale cannot do? Honestly,this phenom seems to be finally in the consistent top echelon movies and each time he astounds just as he did as a child in "Empire of the Sun" back in the mid 1980's.
I will say right here that Bale's performance as Dieter Dengler, the shot down Navy pilot who survived torture at the hands of the Laotians in pre-Vietnam War, is nothing short of amazing.He is in every scene in this 2 hour+human wartime drama by Werner Herzog;that it extremely demanding for an actor.It is obvious the amount of starvation weight loss that he underwent to BE Dengler at his lowest as a prisoner in Laos,eating worms and rice!Bale is so in control of his character that the viewer is extremely confident that what is on the screen is Oscar worthy.This entire film hangs on the strength of Bale's sensitive rendering of Dengler.
Without Bale, this film, as fascinating and riveting true story as it is,would be diminished in any other actor's hands.Not since Adrian Brody's Oscar winning role in "The Pianist" has a film so relied on the complete command of the material in the hands of the lead man.This is not to say that the supporting roles are not incredible,because Jeremy Davies and Steve Zahn as the two Americans interred with Bale in the cruel Laos camp are truly standouts as supporting actors."Rescue Dawn" is not so much a War film or a film that makes statements about War (though one is left to infer),but rather an in depth look into the character and makeup of humans in extraordinarily harsh conditions.Anyone would want Dengler as portrayed by Bale as their best friend; loyal,funny,charming,optimistic,resourceful,confident,apologetic and most of all incredibly and refreshingly innocent.
This film is so good all around that I find no fault with any of it.It is slow (it needs to be) and deliberate.Much of the dialog is barely above a hushed whisper.Close attention must be paid.Herzog puts his audience in the bamboo prison with the six captives.He shackles us nightly with the prisoners.Herzog allows the viewer to be a living but silent partaker in their incredible and inhumane suffering .We move through thick jungle brush while escaping our captors and we watch our friends die viciously.
ACADEMY AWARD TELECAST LIVE:
....and finally,Christian Bale in "Rescue Dawn"....the envelope please...(rustle,rustle,opens envelope)...and the winner is....(pause and a hush) CHRISTIAN BALE!!! (The audience goes wild and Bale is frankly surprised that he just is finally acknowledged as a true actor's actor).You'll see! |
Powerful War Story - A True Oscar Contender
|
| Review Date: October 19, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Jean Pierre Salazar, Stamford, CT |
War stories from the Vietnam era are always daunting. Always told by the heroes who lived them--fine examples like Apocalypse Now and Platoon come to mind. They are always full of courage, patriotism but told with crude reality. Rescue Dawn tells the story of a brave American soldier who became a POW during the Vietnam War. He just wanted to be a pilot, but became something greater than that. The film's great story, acting, and visuals create a sense of realism that the audience will appreciate. This is the best war movie of 2007. Also, this is Christian Bale's best performance of his career and probably a contender for best actor at the Oscars.
Brief Story Intro:
It is 1965. US Navy Pilot Dieter (Christian Bale) is going to a secret mission to South East Asia--Laos is his destination. As he is flying through the mountains, his plane gets shot down by the enemy. Miraculously, he survives the crash, but now he has to run away from these Asian peasants who are looking restlessly for him. Unfortunately, he gets caught. After suffering torture, he is taken to a prison camp in this hostile jungle where he meets other Americans soldiers like Duane (Steve Zahn) and Gene (Jeremy Davies). He becomes the leader of the group by showing determination, ingenuity and courage. He doesn't want to stay long there--like many of them--so he masterminds an escape plan. They all agree, but Gene is not too sure about it--he believes that the war will end soon and they will be released. After secretly collecting simple tools, they plan their escape.
Review:
Based on a true story, told with intensity, but what really makes this movie shine? One of the most important aspects of Rescue Dawn is its realism. It is hard to find actors who want to go the "extra mile" to give life to their characters. The main actors look, in every sense, like real POWs from the Vietnam era--down to their starving bodies and personalities. They transformed themselves for this role and I praise that kind of commitment--great actors who have done the same are Charlize Theron (Monster) and Tom Hanks (Cast Away). Especially Christian Bale who plays a charismatic, next-door guy Navy pilot who just wanted to fly his plane, made fun of surviving military videos, but once he becomes a prisoner of war, he chances to a mature survivor who has to keep his sanity in order to survive his captors and the jungle--his biggest enemy of all. It is heartbreaking to see all the things our hero has to go through to be alive. He never gives up even though the odds are against him. I won't be surprised if Christian Bale gets a nomination for this extreme role.
I also praise the German director Werner Herzog whose cinematography has a bit of a "documentary" look--especially when Dieter is taken to the village when we see his captors and regular people from the village--and also displays a sense of isolation and beauty of the South-East Asia jungle--some of the visuals are very impressive, but there is more than that. Rescue Dawn has the best soundtrack of 2007. The music goes well with every dramatic scene. The beauty of the melodies are so uplifting, that gives the ending, one of the most satisfying moments in recent memory.
The Verdict:
War stories are best told by the people who lived them, day by day, tear by tear. The ones who suffered unimaginable things, but their will to survive, kept them alive. Rescue Dawn tells the dramatic story of one of those heroes from the Vietnam War--All with vanguard acting and visuals. Some might complain for its running time (126 minutes) but this is a small issue because this is one of the best films of 2007.
|
|
No details are available for this product
No video reviews found for this product.
