Rescue Dawn (2006)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Werner Herzog

Writer:

Werner Herzog (written by)

Release Date:

27 July 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Drama | War

Tagline:

A true story of survival... declassified.

Plot:

A US Fighter pilot's epic struggle of survival after being shot down on a mission over Laos during the Vietnam War.

Plot Keywords:

Pilot | Laos | Escape | Vietnam War | German American

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Tue. Nov. 10	4:00 PM	TMC
Mon. Nov. 16	8:20 AM	TMC

Cast

Zach Grenier	...	Squad Leader
Marshall Bell	...	Admiral
Christian Bale	...	Dieter
Toby Huss	...	Spook
Pat Healy	...	Norman
GQ	...	Farkas (as Gregory J. Qaiyum)
James Oliver	...	Jet Pilot
Brad Carr	...	U.S. Navy Pilot
Saichia Wongwiroj	...	Pathet Lao Guard
François Chau	...	Province Governor (as Francois Chau)
Teerawat Mulvilai	...	Little Hitler (as Teerawat 'Ka-Ge' Mulvilai)
Mr. Yuttana Muenwaja	...	Crazy Horse (as Yuttana Muenwaja)
Kriangsak Ming-olo	...	Jumbo
Somkuan 'Kuan' Siroon	...	Nook the Rook
Chorn Solyda	...	Walkie Talkie

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense war violence and torture.

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

UK:12A | Ireland:15A | USA:PG-13 | Netherlands:16 | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | Finland:K-13 | Australia:MA | Brazil:14 | Singapore:PG | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

Thailand

Company:

Gibraltar Films

Trivia:

Steve Zahn lost 40 pounds for his role.

Goofs:

Factual errors: During his captivity, Deiter is shown wearing his gold wedding band - something no American pilot would do. In case of capture, it gives away more than name rank and s/n - not to mention both the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese regulars appreciated gold as much as the next enemy (or ally) and likely wouldn't have let him keep it out of the kindness of their hearts and deep feelings for his family ties.

Quotes:

Dieter: I believe I need a steak.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jumper (2008)

Soundtrack:

River in the Rain

True and moving POW story.

What's wrong with Christian bale that he loves so much to play with his weight? You think if a role required him to be painfully thin he'd do another straight after rather than fluctuate back and forth. American Psycho buff, The Machinist almost see-through, Batman Begins buff and now Rescue Dawn thin as a fat stick, this guy really does take method acting to a new level but come on Chris this cant be healthy. That said the level of realism, his physique and his acting ability make this a great film. Directed by Werner Herzog, probably best known in this country for documentary 'Grizzly Man', it tells the true story of Lt. Dieter Dengler a US fighter pilot who was shot down over Laos during the Vietnam war and his struggle for survival and rescue against all odds. Initially we meet the boys preparing for the mission and join in with their camaraderie, they take to the skies to start the bombing but all that changes when Dengler's plane is shot and he crash lands in enemy territory. Captured and tortured he is eventually taken to a kind of concentration camp where he bonds with others that share his predicament, together they hatch an escape plan that they hope will eventually see them saved. Ill, without food and water, constantly taunted and beaten the group endure as much as is humanly possible at the hands of their captors. What transcends on the screen is a story of faith, courage, friendship, endurance and sanity which is all played out against the backdrop of the Vietnam jungle. The cinematography is jarringly beautiful which makes the soldiers struggle all the more painful and real. As the group lose their minds and their weight we as an audience get to observe the cabin fever nature of man who without the body's essential needs starts to slowly deteriorate. Equally brutal as it is beautiful, the scenes where they have nothing but meal worms to eat are particularly stomach churning, the film as a whole contains a message that like others before it, 'Touching the Void', 'United 93' etc, can be surprisingly uplifting.