Customer Reviews
Never seen a Herzog before? - By: Andrew Kyle, 30 Sep 2008 
Neither have I. I felt an attraction to this film for the simple reason Christian bale was in it. I have never been let down by his performance in any film & i expected no less in this one. I was vaguely aware of Werner Herzog's previous films but, i'll be honest, documentaries & such don't fare well with me. This was to my mind a pre-Vietnam war film that would tell an acute story of survival & hope/fear.
I wasn't disappointed. Bale is excellent & carries the entire film, right from the initial sequences of boyish innocence & anticipation straight through the scenes of torture (some of which are quite harrowing in their simplicity) to the heart-rending climax.
Its one of those films that you watch & simply, without question, appreciate. The cinematography is astounding, the music haunting & beautiful, the characterisations alll spot on, the emotional core a resolute solidarity.
Its not a comedy, but there are some wonderful human moments where you can't help but smile. Yes, i stand by my review. Its an excellent film & well worth a look.
Just not that interesting - 1 or 2 stars - By: J. WILLIS, 22 Sep 2008 
This isn't a particularly bad film, it's just not that good a film either.
This may well be a true story, however that doesn't mean it makes a good film. The acting, the pace, everything felt quite plodding, half-baked & un-engaging (is that a word?).
I didn't feel involved in the story - the mark of a good film for me is that it sucks me in, has me interested / involved in what's happening.
For me, this always felt like a smalll window into something being acted out, no more, no less. The acting felt 'hammy' & I came away from it completely unmoved by Bale's character (Dieter Dengler).
Each to his own, but if I had the choice again, I'd give this one a miss.
Dawn of the determined to survive - By: russell clarke, 20 Jun 2008 In which renowned German film-maker Walter Herzog returns to two of his favourite themes- Man against nature & madness.Herzog has covered these issues before in such notable films as "Aguirre ,Wrath Of God" , "Fitzcarraldo" & to some extent "Grizzly Man". Rescue Dawn is a dramatic rendering of his 1997 short "Little Dieter Needs To Fly" ,about Vietnam vet Dieter Dengler who was captured by the Viet Cong( indeed he was actuallly captured twice but this film is based on the second occasion) but escaped & fought through dense jungle crawling with enemy soldiers before being rescued.
The fact that the audience is aware of the outcome does,nt affect the films impact one iota . Herzog still elicits tremendous drama & tension from Denglers plight. In this he is aided considerably by a another impressively committed performance from Christian Bale as Dengler .Bale convincingly portrays a man with the resolute steeliness to survive & flee from the predicament Dengler found himself in. In his determination to escape the prison camp Bale even comes across as a little crazy but his implicit belief that he can escape rubs off on most of his fellow prisoners & they hatch a collective plan.
Talking of committed performances Steve Zahn as Duane Martin & Jeremy Davies as Gene De Bruin , as two of Dengler,s fellow prisoners show astounding commitment to the project .They are both , like Bale himself in the film "The Machinist" emaciated beyond belief. The actors lost the weight before the film so Bale could gain it back as the shoot went on so the narrative was shot in reverse.Martin is galvanised by Denglers positive attitude & his ability to utilise their environment to make escape possible. De Bruin has became institutionalised & views Dengler as a danger to what he feels is their comfortable status quo. Which is clearly nuts as some of their guards are borderline psychotic especiallly the one they have dubbed "Little Hitler" ( Teerrawat Muluilai)
This version of events has been challlenged by Jerry De Bruin , the brother of Gene & one of the other surviving prisoners & Herzog has conceded that had he known he would have re-written the script to incorporate points about De Bruin they raised but by then it was too late. None the less this is a commendable film with some truly stunning imagery( The opening on board shots of a US bomber strafing Vietnamese villages is both shocking & beautiful) fantastic performances & a moving ending . Some may find this film a little gruelling but for anyone with a passing interest in the human capacity for survival i recommend it highly . My only real gripe is the title. Rescue Dawn imply,s ....well a rescue i suppose but watching this it,s clear the only person responsible for Dieter Dengler,s survival is himself.
Old School Classic - By: J. S. Meins, 12 May 2008 It's a pity about "Rescue Dawn"'s misleading title & advertising campaign because it's a reallly good movie which easily holding its own amongst other classic prisoner movies. Probably most similar to the great "Papillon" (with a little "Shawshank" optimism thrown in) "Rescue Dawn" tells the true story of Dieter Denger (Christian Bale), a German born US navy pilot downed in Vietnam on his maiden mission. Bale reprises his size zero "Machinist" look to great effect & method acts his way through leaches, worms, snakes & other assorted jungle based edible goodies. The film was shot - in reverse (Bale starts skinny & feeds himself up) - in just 44 days in Thailand. Even a slightly out of place, gung ho, cheerleading finale can't ruin a beautifully shot old school classic.
A triumph of the human spirit! - By: C. O'toole, 09 May 2008 
This incredible Werner herzog film follows the true story of US Navy pilot Dieter Dengler, a native of Germany who went to the US as a 17 year old with no english. He became impassioned to become a pilot when he made eye contact with an American Fighter Pilot who was flying low over his Black Forest village as a child during WW2. Dieter became embroiled in the nascent Vietnam conflict & was shot down over his first mission, a secret bombing run into Laos. He is captured & tortured by the Vietcong. He is offered reprieve from torture if he signs a pro communist disclaimer-he refuses.
Christian Bale as usual gives an outstanding performance of a most resourceful ebullient character who even finds time to smile at a child when being dragged into the village. He flirts with a female guard to keep a chunk of mirror that he uses in a periscope. Whilst in prison, he meets Steve Zahn's character, another pilot shot down as well as Jeremy Davies whose sanity is alll but gone. Dieter motivated the prisoners & successfully breaks out of the camp, but the real prison is the formidable jungle terrain between them & safety.
I defy anyone not to have a lump in their throat & a tear in their eye about this amazing man who had no room for hatred or pettiness. This film is a bolt of spirituality. Also look out for the excellent real life documentary on Dieter Dengler in the bonus features.
