Rescue Dawn Review
by Clare Bath
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Rescue Dawn is the
powerful true story of how Navy Pilot Dieter Dengler escaped from a
Laotian POW camp in the early years of the Vietnam conflict.
Writer/director
Werner Herzog is perhaps the most qualified man to tell this story as
he already made an award-winning documentary about Dengler’s escape (Little Dieter Needs To Fly)
and remained friends with the hero till Dengler’s death in 2001. The
escape, however, is really a backdrop told from Dengler’s point of view
for his amazing psychological journey and his bond with fellow POW
Duane (Steve Zahn).
By the end of this 2 hour film, you really feel like you have survived an epic ordeal – and I mean that in a good way.
Director
Herzog chose to show almost no gore in this movie, instead opting to
tell the more sublime story of humanity and the triumph of one
indomitable spirit. Herzog manages to make a war picture that has
little to do with war and avoids making any moral or social
commentaries about it. That said, this is far from an easy movie to
watch. It is so engaging one can’t help but feel the agony and smell
the stench of suffering prisoners. Peter Zeitlinger’s cinematography
drops you in the middle of a jungle that’s at once breathtakingly
beautiful and yet a deadly character in the story. I was sweating when
I left the theater.
Not much more can be said of Mr. Bale’s
performance ability that hasn’t been said before. Once again Christian
goes through a physical transformation shedding 55 pounds to play this
role, but after The Machinist,
that probably felt like an all-you-can-eat buffet. His performance in
this film reaffirms he is one of the premier actors of his generation.
As
for his co-stars, Jeremy Davies lost so much weight that at times I’m
sure I could clearly see his spleen. In his characterization of Eugene
from Eugene, Davies is completely convincing in his insanity and his
unpredictable lunacy poses a threat to all those around him. Steve Zahn
turns in a heartbreaking performance that instantly makes you forget
he’s one of the funniest men alive. The project on the whole was an
acting tour de force.
Far from a summer popcorn flick, Rescue Dawn is a rigorous expedition for those, like Dengler, who are willing to go the distance to survive it.
4 out
of 5 Rescue Dawn
Australian release: 22nd November, 2007
Cast: Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies
Director: Werner Herzog
Website: Click
here.
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