German director Werner Herzog knows Dieter Dengler well. He first told Dengler's harrowing story in the acclaimed TV documentary "Little Dieter Needs to Fly." At one point during that feature's production, Dengler told Herzog, "This is unfinished business."
And so we have "Rescue Dawn," the true story about Dengler (Christian Bale), a German-born American pilot who is sent to bomb villages in Laos in North Vietnam. During the secret mission, he is shot down and captured by sadistic captors.
Placed in a POW camp, he is tortured, starved and beat down by his captors. However, he finds faith in his fellow POWs, especially Duane Martin (Steve Zahn), a fellow pilot who has been with the other prisoners for two years.
Throughout their captivity, they have learned to do as they are told to stay alive, even if that means their remaining days will cease in the horrible conditions they are in. However, Dengler does not see it that way. He wants out and will do whatever with whoever's help to do it.
Yet, Martin makes an inescapable, natural observation: "The jungle is the prison." To make matters worse, fellow prisoner Gene DeBruin (Jeremy Davies), paranoid and the one of the group seems most psychologically affected by their detention, stirs up debate and dissention against the rest. He still believes that following the orders of the North Vietnamese will bring them to freedom in due time. When the captors plan to execute all of the prisoners, Dengler and friends expedite their escape plot.
They soon discover escaping is one thing; surviving is another.
Herzog takes the typical Vietnam War movie and turns it on its side. It certainly has some clichés seen in other movies of the same type, but 'Rescue Dawn' shows Vietnam was much more than about that guns, bombs and napalm. It was very much a human war, mounted by the casualties, psychological effects and POWs and MIAs, and Herzog exemplifies this fact.
Herzog's direction is terrific, very much bringing the horrors of war some don't know about-or afraid to look at. While some similarities can be seen to our country's current situation, Herzog does not politicize his vision.
War is hell, and Herzog shows us that.
Anchoring the movie is the deep, emotional bond that the core actors made with their performances. They appear real: physically, emotionally and mentally spent from a conflict they never wanted a part of.
Bale gives cinema another great performance. He is the new Brando, totally and utterly committed to a role that nothing can or will do to alter his focus on giving a true meaning to his character, whether it be fictional (He lost over 60 pounds for 'The Machinist' but a few months after gained muscle for and gave much-needed weight to the Dark Knight in 'Batman Begins') or real-life, he will not deviate from the course of acting.
Zahn also gives a sentimental yet heart-wrenching performance as the tired, depressed and lonesome Martin. Typically the comic relief in so many movies, Zahn shows that he can hang with the big boys, giving an emotionally rich performance that is relatable and sympathetic.
The strongest yet scariest performance is by that of Davies. Having already experienced war in Steven Spielberg's 'Saving Private Ryan' as the bumbling Corporal Upham, Davies shows a darker, haunting side of a soldier. Looking very much like Bale, Davies looks starved-physically and mentally. He is timid and drained yet sharp and calculating. His performance is nothing short of Oscar worthy.
Acting is not the only achievement 'Rescue Dawn' has to offer. Cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger photographs the scenery of Thailand (substituting for Vietnam) superbly. Zeitlinger gives a sense of beauty to a story that is a deep, dark beast.
Also, composer Klaus Bedelt, whose work ranges from the poignant ('The Pledge') to light-hearted fun ('Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl') strikes a chord with the audience with deep string movements that is very much a character of the movie itself. Other Vietnam movies have used Jimi Hendrix as a voice; Bedelt does a 180 on that notion.
When he is first captured, Dengler says he didn't want to go to war-he only wanted to fly. Herzog directs 'Rescue Dawn' with a tremendous cast that soars above itself, capturing the hearts of the audience and taking no prisoners for its genre.
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