Review: Rescue Dawn

Synopsis: Based on the true story of German-born Dieter Dengler, who dreamed of being a test pilot and thus made his way to America, where he joined the military in pursuit of his obsession to fly. On his first mission in Vietnam, he is shot down and captured by Vietcong guerrillas.

Review: Rescue Dawn is not a war film, as much as it is a character study. More of a "Shawshank Redemption" in Vietnam if you will. It follows the story of Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale) as he embarks upon his first mission in the military and what follows as a result of that mission. Director Werner Herzog wastes no time in getting to Dieters journey, spending only about 10 minutes setting up the movie before Dieter crashes in Laos while on a Black Ops bombing mission.

After crashing, Dieter wanders in the wilderness before being picked up by the Vietcong and taken prisoner. He grows increasingly frustrated with his situation because none of his captors speak English. When he is finally brought to someone higher up that can speak English, Dieter is asked to sign a paper saying that he renounces the American government and their crimes against Vietnam in exchange for freedom. "Why would I sign this? I love America. America gave me wings" he responds. After refusing to the offer Dieter is then brought to a Vietnamese prison camp, facing some severe psychological torture along the way. From here, the film follows Dieter as he interacts with the other inmates of the camp and plans his escape.

Christian Bale is without question one of the best actors working today and does not disappoint. He flawlessly slips into character, portraying a man that can't seem to give up, no matter what the odds may be. It's amazing to watch as Bale slowly fades away from starvation and becomes just a little bit crazy, like his fellow inmates. Steve Zahn surprises here as Duane, Bales best friend in the camp, turning in a believable portrayal of a man who has all but given up and clings to Dieter in a last attempt of survival. Zahn seems to just slowly die in front of the camera with every passing day. The friendship that forms between these two men is completely believable.

Herzog chooses to downplay the action in exchange for focusing on the characters and their surroundings. When Dieter and Duane begin their trek in the jungle we not only feel for them but we get a real sense of the vastness of the journey ahead of them, thanks largely to the great cinematography. Rescue Dawn, while a little slow, is a really good movie that remains suspenseful, not because of action, but because of the great connection it creates in crafting such a believable character in Dieter that the audience is completely invested in his survival.

7/10