Review of Rescue Dawn (2007) by Jim M — 11 Jul 2009

Laos, 1965: Dieter Dengler, a German born American pilot, is shot down over Laos as part of the clandistine American effort against Pathet Lao, NVA and Viet Cong forces moving men and materials into South Vietnam. Captured by Communist forces, Dengler refuses to sign a false confession of war crimes, thus begins his journey of torture and starvation as he is sent to a small squalid prison camp in the middle of the Laotian Jungle, where he joins with a handful of other prisoners to do the immposable...escape from the prison and survive in a hostile jungle until they can reach the safety of South Vietnam or Thailand.

Inspired by a true story (Dengler was the First of only 7 Americans to escape captivity in Southeast Asia and survive). Staring Christian Bale (who is insanely commited to the role), Steve Zahn (pretty good for a guy known mostly as comic relief side kick) and Jermey Davies (still kinda channeling Charles Manson). Director Werner Herzog makes us feel the oppression of the jungle and Denglers will to survive. Surprisingly he's also made a movie about Vietnam, about Prisoners facing some of the worst depradations men and nature can throw at them, about a man who's ether brave or crazy or both, and in the end craft one of the best feel-good, triumph of the human spirit movies in a long while. Well worth a viewing.