User reviews

After getting shot down in Laos, Dieter Dengler is captured, tortured, and eventually transported to a remote POW camp where he is united with fellow American pilots with the same problem. With the arrival of Dengler, a new spirit emerges among the group, and an escape plan soon hatches. RESCUE DAWN is a story of struggle, friendship, keeping one's sanity, and survival amidst a war-brewing Vietnam and its inhospitable jungles. Werner Herzog does a great job with his direction, giving his actors full reign as well as inspiring them to their creative peaks. Each actor in the film does their best with each role; none becoming too hammy or extreme in their techniques; with Bale, Zahn, and Davies all shedding flesh as well as comfort in preparation for their tasking roles. Great cinematography throughout, as the Laotian backdrop is realized vividly; looming stone cliffs and walls of vine add further quality to the prison feel, and empty fields and lush rain forest paints the wild of Vietnam effectively. The music is excellent, and serves the film nobly, never trying too hard for tears or pity. RESCUE DAWN is a feel-good movie without really trying to become one, which is where so many survival and hardship movies fail; but any imperfections this film does have, is certainly overshadowed by its obvious technical genius, excellent acting, and courageous story.

Rescue Dawn is an excellent Vietnam War POW drama directed by Werner Herzog. Christian Bale gives one of his finest and most grueling performances as German/American pilot who is shot down on a secret bombing raid in Laos. Bale and the rest of his POW costars were totally dedicated to their roles losing an unhealthy amount of weight for absolute authenticity and realism. Rescue Dawn is a harrowing and totally realistic trip to Hell, via the humid, scorching jungle and his sadistic captors. Rescue Dawn is a riveting tale of survival and perseverance that is raw and gritty. The cinematography is excellent and the score is powerful, but subtle. For the most part, the politics of the war are not much of a factor in this film and is mostly about what Dieter Dengler(Christian Bale) and his fellow POW's had to endure. Rescue Dawn is a very good film that in my opinion is very underrated.

A no-nonsense(no bragging about 'Uncle Sam') and sombre depiction of a spasming survival. While the film has a few disturbing historical inaccuracies, the whole experience is gripping. I guess after 'Platoon', I was impressed by this movie's jungle 'fear-factor', the cinematography deserves applause. The background score gives justice to the setting of the movie. Christian Bale has put his heart into the role and well supported by the rest of the cast. There are these rare 'straight stories' that make a mark in a gentleman's way, this movie is one ...

Rescue Dawn is a film that details the real-life struggles that a fighter pilot endured when he was shot down during the Vietnam War. I appreciate that the film doesn't waste any time at all. It seems that not more than 10 minutes into the film, Christian Bale is lost behind enemy lines. You almost have to be engaged by the story of a POW, particularly when they are mistreated in captivity. It's tough to watch all that Dengler was put through in his long time in Laos. I was definitely invested and felt like I was put through an emotional wringer as the film doesn't give you much cause for hope. I found myself worn down as the character began to reach his limits. He couldn't seem to bear much more pain (physically or emotionally,) and I was ready to give up on the film because it was so dire and depressing, but the chance they might try to escape gave me enough to endure.

Knowing that the entire film is based on a true story is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, I appreciate that there is something to keep my spirits up when the film is so bleak, because I know somehow Dengler must have survived to tell this story. Then again, it takes away a bit of drama at the end of the film, because we know help will come at some point. Christian Bale does a good job in the lead role, and did some of his patented extreme weight loss. I loved what Steve Zahn brought to the film, and I thought this showed he had some range, instead of always being the comic relief. Jeremy Davies is an actor I've always struggled with, perhaps because he is constantly typecast as a bit of a weasel, but I suppose that fits for this role. As a whole film, Rescue Dawn is tough to watch. But it's a powerful tale of survival in the worst of circumstances, so I enjoyed it to some degree.

For me, Werner Herzog will always be remembered for his haunting 1979 remake of "Nosferatu." Next to the silent-era original, it's probably the greatest artistic statement ever put to film on the myth of the vampire. Apart from that, he's been one of those fascinatingly enigmatic European infant-terrible directors, brazenly going against the studio system and doing whatever he damn well pleases, be it documentaries or bizarre art films. "Rescue Dawn" comes as a huge surprise, and proving that he still does whatever he pleases, is a dramatized version of the true story of Vietnam POW Dieter Dengler that Herzog previously filmed as a documentary in 1997 entitled "Little Dieter Needs to Fly." Masterfully realized, "Rescue Dawn" emerges as Herzog's most accessible film. After over 30 years of film-making, he's gone "Hollywood" but has done it on his own terms.

"Rescue Dawn" features classical and feverishly transcendent direction from Herzog, breathtaking cinematography of Laos and Vietnam from Peter Zeitlinger, a triumphant and evocative music score from Klaus Bedelt, and Oscar-worthy performances from an amazing cast. In the lead role of Dieter, Christian Bale once again puts his whole body into the character (as he did in "The Machinist"). Bale has become one of those rare actors whose every role seems to be the performance of his career. Also noteworthy are Jeremy Davies ("Saving Private Ryan," and "Ravenous") as Eugene from Eugene, Oregon, who seems to always get cast as the most emotionally unstable soldier, and a shockingly good and sympathetic Steve Zahn as Duane. Herzog puts the cast through the ringer in artistically rendered depictions of torture, horror, and survival in the harshest of conditions. Even in some of the most cringe-worthy scenes, Herzog turns what could've been wallowing on its head--witness the fantastic transition from Bale eating live worms and one crawling in his beard to a beautiful caterpillar leisurely making its way across a leaf in the peaceful jungle.

Essentially what we have here is the war-movie version of Milos Foreman's "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" as Herzog depicts a group of average men who were slightly crazy already becoming increasingly more mad through involuntary imprisonment. While Bale's character refuses to be held down and is constantly trying to keep his brain and skills sharp through plotting an escape, some of his fellow prisoners are rendered hopeless as they have turned their own minds into the most impenetrable walls. Herzog does a great job of depicting tiny bits of humanity and dignity shining through in the most inhumane conditions, and how the will to survive can triumph over death. He's somehow crafted a movie that is both boldly anti-establishment and unapologetically pro-soldier and patriotism. Being based on a true story where the ending is known to the viewer doesn't take away from the white-knuckle suspense and human drama. Unlike Foreman's classic from the 1970's, where Jack Nicholson (mirrored here by Bale) flew over the cuckoo's nest and disappeared into his own insanity, Herzog gives up hope. One flew over the bamboo hut...and he made it.

The film is based on the story of the American pilot Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale) and his crushing fall onto the territory of Vietnam. Active warfare during the Vietnam War will not be shown here, but you will see the inner side of the horror of the war - the brutal everyday life of the military captivity of American soldiers in the depths of the wild Vietnam jungle, where it is almost impossible to escape and stay alive. The script is very consistent and rich. Christian Bale, as almost as always, is incomparable and delightful in his role. You believe him and empathize. During the movie, he turns from a self-confident guy into a man who has understood, in his own skin, the difference between educational practice and the reality of war. Other actors also play with a high quality. The only drawback for me is how poorly was shown of the plane crash at the beginning of the film, there were obviously problems with the special effects during the shooting of the film ) Someone may decides that the film is tightened and there is little action, but behind such silence lies the deepest drama. You can feel the lack of budget and there are some drawbacks, but the message and the idea are much higher than commercial success. You should only feel a little stronger desire of the heroes to live, to fight for their lives, to overcome obstacles and not to despair, and you as a spectator will not remain indifferent.

Writer-director Werner Herzog, whose films have always been marked by a rapport with the natural world, takes this trademark to Laos in "Rescue Dawn," a compelling, intimate account of the Vietnam conflict. Based on the real-life tale of Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale), a German-born/American-bred fighter pilot with a cocky, cowboy-like demeanor, the film goes for realism and largely succeeds. The setting is a microscopic POW camp where Dengler and a half-dozen prisoners, including Dwight (Steve Zahn, playing well against type) and Gene (Jeremy Davies--"Saving Private Ryan") plot an escape. Interestingly, the extensive Vietnamese spoken in the film is not subtitled, which actually adds to the strong sense of isolation incurred from the POWs' position. Herzog also paints "Rescue Dawn" as a timely meditation on the Iraq War--while Dieter's John Wayne persona (that takes a drastically different turn in the second half) could be read as an endorsement of American militarism, we see the emaciated, defeated prisoners almost as symbols of a war that's been "lost" from the beginning; even later in the film, the Vietnamese captors begin to show the same signs of fatigue and desperation. The whole concept of "escape" is essential to making an entertaining, suspenseful film (which "Rescue Dawn" certainly is), but also reflective of a current foreign-policy mess that should have been curtailed before it even began. But Herzog is subtle in his politics, and lets the jungle do most of the talking--once Dieter and his fellow prisoners escape, the road to a "happy ending" is anything but "cut and dry." The director often puts us in the midst of torture and terror, but also milks moments of surprising humor to great effect, and gets excellent performances from the entire cast (while Bale is top-billed, Zahn and Davies are the real standouts). My only real complaint about the film is a conclusion that comes off as contrived and unnecessary, stretching the credibility of the harrowing realism that came before. Otherwise, "Rescue Dawn" is one of 2007's standout features.

If you're a big fan of the mad German genius Werner Herzog, you might be disappointed in this, his first foray into Hollywood film-making. This is polished and not at all experimental. However, to me it feels like Herzog, when he stepped up to the plate, said to himself, "Well, I can make an American film. And I can make a better one than 95% of American films." And there's nothing wrong with that. The film is a dramatization of the events retold in Herzog's earlier documentary Little Dieter Needs to Fly. Christian Bale plays Dieter Dengler, an American citizen and German emigré who had one of the most impressive survival instincts ever seen in a human being. Shot down in Laos in the opening throes of the Vietnam War, he was taken to a brutal POW camp where he met two other American POWs (Jeremy Davies and Steven Zahn in the film) and three Asian men who had worked with the enemy. The two Americans had been there for an average of a couple of years, and had all but given up hope (the Davies character is sure there will be peace soon enough). Through his amazing ingenuity, Dieter planned a heroic escape. Most of the movie takes place in the POW camp. Most of what I remember from Little Dieter Needs to Fly, which I saw around two years ago, is the escape. It's a disturbing, horrifying tale of survival. I would have liked this part to be the longer, but it works very well. It's certainly harrowing. I was disappointed that one of the images I really remember from the original film did not appear: the bear that stalked Dieter during his final days wandering in the jungle. He considered it almost a friend, but in the back of his mind realized it was following him because it wanted to eat him. Herzog keeps things extremely subtle, telling them very much the way they happened. The story develops more like real life, not like a movie. It keeps melodrama to a minimum. My only problem is how it ends. The ending is way too boisterous and uplifting. Dieter Dengler was most definitely an upbeat kind of guy, but his suffering and the awful things that he saw – heck, with the awful things that we just experienced with him, so vivid is this movie – don't lead well to the celebration that ends the movie. I very much liked this film, and think it is one of the best I've seen so far this year.

I saw this at the world premiere last night, and it was really great. Not my favorite Herzog movie, but overall his most well rounded one and definitely his most mainstream. It has a chance of doing quite well at the box office. The acting is all around terrific, and the camera work beautiful.

Most Herzog movies seem like these flawed masterpieces; movies that are worth watching for several moments of intense brilliance. Rescue Dawn had these moments of brilliance, and the rest seemed like a very well made thriller / action movie. However, it didn't quite pack the same punch as the best moments of Fitzcarraldo or Aguirre. Still, I gave it 5/5 on my voting ballot.

Besides terrific acting & a compelling (true!!) story, this film does not wallow in over-glorifying itself. It doesn't try to pump up the audience with patriotic blather or "gee whiz, what a guy" feel good stuff. It simply tells the story of this incredibly courageous and resourceful man, Dieter Dengler. This is a great example of how films should be made. Also, the film's historical content was very, very accurate, the writers took few if any liberties with the truth.

Christian Bale is indeed an actor to be reckoned with. He's quickly becoming one of my favorites. His acting is believable and subdued.

Highly recommended but see it in a theatre and not on DVD in order to get the full effect of this great story.

Released in late 2006-2007, "Rescue Dawn" is based on the true story of German-American Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale) who was shot down in February, 1966, during a Vietnam bombing mission. He was held in a Laotian prison camp with several other prisoners, including Duane Martin and Gene DeBruin (Steve Zahn and Jeremy Davies), before attempting to escape the following Summer.

Directed by the famous German auteur, Werner Herzog, known for cult hits like 1972's "Aguirre, the Wrath of God" and 1982's "Fitzcarraldo," "Rescue Dawn" has a somewhat artsy air compared to more conventional Vietnam War flicks, like 1986' "Platoon" and 1989's "Casualties of War," which isn't to say it's a better viewing experience than "Platoon," but it's about as good as the other one. In any case, it lacked the mega-budget of those blockbusters. It was shot in the jungles of Thailand in 44 days and things got ugly when the producer couldn't pay the crew for lack of funds.

I'll be honest with you, during the first hour I was taken aback by what struck me as bad acting on Bale's part, like his smiling and comedic words at the absolute wrong time. It just didn't ring true, but then I saw that it was intentional, particularly after watching the "Making Of" featurettes on the DVD, which show that Dieter was a weirdly obsessed guy who absolutely refused to give up. It was his naïve-yet-unshakable optimism and iron-will that got him out of his jungle hell. The director would know more about the real Dengler since he made a documentary of his POW travails in 1997, "Little Dieter Needs to Fly." After watching clips from that film you'll realize that Bale's performance isn't far from the truth. Dieter always had this perpetual smile and weird sense of humor that either annoyed people or endeared them. So the performance is SUPPOSED to be eccentric. Besides, there's more than a hint of black comedy in the movie because the situation for American POWs was nigh surrealistically absurd.

The movie has been severely criticized by members of the families of Gene DeBruin and Phisit Intharathat, the latter being the only other survivor of the group, a Thai. Herzog acknowledged that DeBruin acted heroically during his imprisonment, refusing to leave while some sick prisoners remained, but claimed to be unaware of this until after the film had been completed. He said that this angle would've probably been included in the story had he learned it earlier. However, the DeBruin family said that Herzog was not interested in speaking with them prior to the film being completed. For me personally, I didn't think Debruin was portrayed THAT badly. The way he's depicted is simply the result of his being incarcerated in a primitive jungle prison for two years BEFORE Dengler arrived. The latter was "only" there for five months before attempting to escape.

A critic referred to "Rescue Dawn" as "One Flew Over the Bamboo Hut" on the grounds that it's essentially a war version of 1975's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Like that movie, "Rescue Dawn" depicts a group of average men who were a little off BEFORE undergoing involuntary imprisonment. While Dieter (Bale) refuses to be locked down and is constantly trying to keep his mental skills sharp through humor and plotting, some of the other POWs are increasingly becoming lost in their own minds, which then sets up its own impenetrable walls. The fact that "Rescue Dawn" is based on a true story where the ending is known doesn't prevent it from being a quality jungle survival drama. Please take note because this isn't a war action film, although there's some of that; it's a survival drama. In any case, unlike "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" where the protagonist flew over the cuckoo's nest and disappeared forever, this movie offers hope. One flew over the bamboo hut, fell in for a while, but makes it out!

The film runs 120 minutes.

GRADE: B

I saw this tonight at a preview in Somerville, Mass - a really excellent film. Just such good storytelling, with great suspense, and the usual Herzog weird touches that I am guessing must have come from him (and not the true story). The acting is also superb - both Christian Bale and Steve Zahn are fantastic. Bale really captured this guy's incredibly indomitable spirit, but also his almost child-like wonder and naivete at the world - which ironically enough helps him survive. I found the whole story really moving. The very ending of the film really disappointed me, but it didn't ruin the evening by any means. Wonderful music too. Interesting also to see the documentary about the REAL Dieter, LITTLE DIETER NEEDS TO FLY (http://imdb.com/title/ tt0145046/), also made by Herzog. I saw it at a film festival 10 years ago - and Herzog and Dieter were there! Of course, much of Dieter's 'real-life' obsessive-compulsive behavior - such as opening and closing a door multiple times after passing through - turns out to have been 'suggested' by Herzog! Cheeky filmmakers...

I am big Christian Bale fan, and of course, as soon as I heard about "Rescue Dawn", I had to see it. This is not Bale's best moment, but he is still able to pull off the character of a fighter pilot. There are a few memorable scenes that real affect the viewer. One of the negative things about movie is the lack of development. We do not get to learn much about the characters. But regardless of this, "Rescue Dawn" is still worth watching. It may not be the best movie of the year, but it is worth the time. I would compare this movie to the likings of "Behind Enemy Lines." But unlike "Behind Enemy Lines," "Rescue Dawn" is not filled with bullets flying everywhere, and things exploding. "Rescue Dawn" is more about the survival aspect of P.O.W. In one scene, you see Bale picking up a few pieces of rice and eagerly eating. You can't help but feel sympathy for the prisoners who look like they are just walking skeletons.

I am amazed at how many people are so consumed with Anti-War fever that they can't appreciate a true story about a man who overcomes something that most people couldn't. If it does not reinforce their preconceptions then they consider it propaganda. Yet these same people hale anything, no matter how absurdly ridiculous that reinforces their beliefs. They completely miss the point. Their own prejudices keep them from recognizing and appreciating a work of art when they see it. Many of today's filmmakers seeking to make both fictional films and documentaries about the war in Iraq, as well as wars from the past, are running into a brick wall. Both Hollywood and the Independent Film Industry are refusing to show films that do not take a distinctive anti-war slant. Filmmakers that show an objective view of warfare, neither taking a position for or against the war, are finding it next to impossible to get their films shown. Likewise, if the film is even remotely related to a war and does not blatantly condemn it then it does not get shown. Just ask Nick Bicanic & Jason Bourque how hard it was for them to get their excellent documentary about the modern day use of Private Security Companies seen. As them how many studios offered to purchase the rights to film if they would only change the tone to one of condemnation rather than examination. I get the sense, from the back story about the lack of financing Herzog was able to get for this project that he ran into the same problem. Frankly I am appalled. The industry, both mainstream and independent, are pushing their own agendas over all else. The art form is suffering greatly for it. I congratulate filmmakers like Bicanic and Herzog for refusing to take no for answer. As for this film, it honors a man who risked his life not only for his country but for his fellow POWs. You can hate war and still respect the men and women who were called upon to fight it. You can hate war and still call a POW who escapes capture despite impossible odds a hero. You can hate the war in Iraq and appreciate the sacrifices the men and women who are fighting it are making on your behalf. Don't let your own personal bias lead you to make a mistake you'll regret for the rest of your life. Protest the war all you like, just do it in a way that does not belittle the airmen, soldiers, sailors and marines who are fighting it. Whether you agree with their decision or not, they deserve your understanding and your respect. Just as Dieter Dengler, the POW on whom this film is based, deserves your respect. Don't belittle his sacrifice by politicizing this film. Whether you agree with his decision to become fighter pilot or not, his accomplishments.

Director Werner Herzog revisits his favorite theme -- Man going mad in the wilderness -- in "Rescue Dawn," the fictional remake of his own documentary, "Little Dieter Needs to Fly."

Christian Bale plays Dieter Dengler, an American pilot shot down while on a covert bombing mission in Laos in 1965. He's tucked away in a prison camp but plans and executes an escape with the other inmates. Most of the movie is utterly gripping (much of it is also extremely grueling), and Herzog tells the story with his customary lack of editorializing. What I always like about Herzog's films is that he never tries to tell us how we should feel, but rather approaches his stories, whether fictional or no, with an almost journalistic objectivity. However, his instincts fail him in the film's final scenes, and he falls prey to a bombastic Hollywood ending that's at complete odds with the rest of the film or anything else he's ever done, for that matter. For that reason, my mostly positive review of the movie has to come with qualifications.

Bale is remarkable, as usual, as Dengler. He's incapable of giving an ordinary performance, and no matter how good or bad the movie he's in is, you can always count on him to give you something interesting to watch. Steve Zahn plays a hollowed out fellow prisoner who escapes with Dengler and accompanies him on his frantic and nightmarish journey through the jungle, only to meet a shocking end. And an unrecognizable Jeremy Davies gives an off-the-wall performance as a prisoner resistant to Dengler's plan and convinced that they will all be saved by the Americans at any moment.

The jungle settings look stunning. As usual in a Herzog film, the environment is as much a character as any of the actual people on screen, and as Zahn's character says at one point, represents more of a prison to these men than the actual walls and buildings of the prison they're in.

Grade: B+

In 1965, while bombing Laos in a classified mission, the plane of the German-American pilot Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale) is hit and crashes in the jungle. Dieter is arrested by the peasants, tortured and sent to a prisoner camp, where he meets five other mentally ill prisoners. He becomes close to Duane (Steve Zahn) and organizes an escape plan; however, the unstable Gene (Jeremy Davies) opposes to Dieter's plan. When they discover that there is no more food due to the constant American bombings in the area and their guards intend to kill them, Dieter sets his plan in motion. However, an unexpected betrayal split the group and Dieter and Duane find that the jungle is their actual prison.

"Rescue Dawn" is a good drama of war, with great performances of Christian Bale and Steve Zahn. Jeremy Davies has his customary role of an insecure and unstable guy. The story shows the spirit of a soldier and his struggle for surviving in a totally hostile environment. The poor and suffered peasants that had their lands, homes and families bombed are naive and do not have military training; therefore the storyline of Dieter's amazing escape is credible. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Sobrevivente" ("The Survivor")

I have seen "Rescue Dawn" three times by now, and the movie is still as entertaining and impressive as it was the first time around. And the fact that the movie is based on a real story just adds a whole outstanding level to the movie experience.

The story told in "Rescue Dawn" is not your average war drama, so don't expect a heap of gunfights and explosions. This is a war drama that focuses on survival and the ordeal of Dexter Dengler (played by Christian Bale).

I will say that the story is told in a very nice manner; a way that really draws the audience in and puts us right there in the midst of the traumatic ordeal deep in the jungle.

There are some amazing performances in "Rescue Dawn" and a really impressive cast. Christian Bale puts on an amazing performance as always, and so does the always impressive Jeremy Davies. But Steve Zahn is really outstanding in this movie, casting aside his usual comedy roles and really stepping up to the role. All three actors really showed commitment to their roles with their weight-loss and authentic appearances.

"Rescue Dawn" is definitely a movie that should be watched if you enjoy character driven dramas with outstanding performances.

What are we to make of a very well-made movie that's based on false advertising? Werner Herzog is master of difficult locations, and this one, the jungle of Southeast Asia, is no exception. And there's no denying that Herzog is likewise a master of the dramatic.

But what of the truth? Artistic license is one thing, but mendacity is something else. Allegedly, friends, family and the other survivor tried to contact Herzog about gross inaccuracies but were blown off. Herzog has misstated events and mis-characterized the players, actually slandering one of them as a crazy scoundrel, when in real life he was lucid, brave and self-sacrificing.

In 1998, Herzog made a documentary, Little Dieter Needs to Fly, starring Dengler himself, apparently luring Dengler into giving him the rights to his story; then five years after Dengler's death, Herzog betrayed him. Werner Herzog is proud to be a b*st*rd for his art (see Mein liebster Feind - Klaus Kinski). But a lying b*st*rd? Visit rescuedawnthetruth.com, where you can judge for yourself.

This isn't like other war movies so don't expect a Saving Private Ryan or even a Band of Brothers like drama. Rescue Dawn is one of the few mainstream efforts by legendary German auteur Wernor Herzog and you can see why- This isn't a war movie rather a survival film and it takes us dep into the jungle where the main character (portrayed impeccably by Christian Bale) has to fight himself, his urges and nature. A scene of him devouring a raw snake can make you squirm. A good film that should be given a chance. (Herzog goes mainstream).

I found "Rescue Dawn" to be a good movie, not a very good movie, but all in all a solid effort. I found that at times the movie was a bit convoluted and the story was not coming along with the sometimes frenetic rhythm of the movie, actually it was somewhat lagging. I found the Vietnamese and Laotian characters to be too undefined and even a bit superficial and cartoonish; most of them are there as screen filler, i.e. the "bad guys". Another irksome thing was Jeremy Davies's performance (not all of it though). Being weird for the sake of weirdness can get repetitive and tiring in some cases, and this was one of them. Jeremy Davies is a fine actor, but in this movie his whole demeanour was a bit too much, too overplayed.

However, having said all of the above, it does not diminish the strength of the movie, its essence or its central message about faith, perseverance, strength of spirit and character, which when added will help an individual triumph against the most incredible odds, case in point Dieter Dengler, an immigrant to the US that loved his adopted country and saw honour and duty in serving it and paying back what he perceived as the opportunities that had been bestowed upon him by his new homeland.

The movie is anchored by yet another brilliant performance by Christian Bale who is undoubtedly one of the best actors in the business today, and a performer that actually deserves to be called an actor. I would also be remiss not to mention the great performance by Steve Zahn, a very very underrated actor that is mainly and wrongly known for playing dimwitted potheads, losers and slackers. How wonderful seeing his range when given a decent role in a good movie! At the heart of this movie is the incredible story of survival of Dieter Dengler an odd and even colourful character who found himself amidst some quite extraordinary circumstances. No matter how one feels about the Vietnam War, what it represents and its place in history, one cannot deny the amazing and touching tale that this movie imparts.