Rescue Dawn (2006)

Summary:

Rescue Dawn is an epic war drama film based on the remarkable true story of Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale), a German-born U.S. Navy pilot. In 1966, during a covert mission over Laos at the start of the Vietnam War, Dengler is shot down and captured by local villagers sympathetic to the Pathet Lao forces. Refusing to sign a document condemning America, Dengler endures brutal torture and starvation in a remote, makeshift prisoner-of-war (POW) camp. His iron will and relentless determination lead him to meticulously plan a perilous escape alongside his fellow, long-suffering prisoners, pitting their will to survive against the unforgiving wilderness of the jungle.

Plot:

In February 1966, Lieutenant Dieter Dengler, an optimistic and dedicated U.S. Navy pilot, is shot down over Laos while flying a secret bombing mission. He survives the crash only to be captured and subjected to torture by the Pathet Lao. He is taken to a remote, poorly provisioned POW camp where he meets fellow prisoners, including the withdrawn and mentally broken Duane Martin (Steve Zahn) and the disillusioned Gene DeBruin (Jeremy Davies), who have been held captive for years.

Dengler, refusing to succumb to the hopelessness of the camp, immediately begins planning an escape. The prisoners, fearing they will be killed due to severe food and water shortages affecting their guards, agree to a mass escape plan. During the breakout, Dengler and Martin manage to escape into the dense, brutal jungle, while the fate of the remaining prisoners is left ambiguous.

The journey through the jungle proves to be an extreme test of survival, characterized by exhaustion, hunger, leeches, and paranoia. The desperate situation leads to Duane Martin's tragic death at the hands of an angry villager. Dengler continues alone, eventually finding a river and signaling a passing U.S. helicopter, which mistakes him for the enemy until he is rescued and taken aboard. The film concludes with Dengler's return to his squadron in Thailand, a free man but profoundly changed by his harrowing experience.

Cast:

• Christian Bale as Lieutenant Dieter Dengler

• Steve Zahn as Lieutenant Duane Martin

• Jeremy Davies as Sergeant Gene DeBruin

• Zach Grenier as Squad Leader

• Marshall Bell as Admiral Berrington

• François Chau as Provincial Governor

Crew:

• Director: Werner Herzog

• Writer/Screenplay: Werner Herzog

• Producers: Elton Brand, Harry Knapp, Steve Marlton

• Music Composer: Klaus Badelt (Score), various classical/folk artists

Release Info:

• Language: English

• Release Date: September 9, 2006 (Toronto International Film Festival), July 4, 2007 (United States Wide)

• Running Time: Approx. 126 minutes

• Genre: Epic War Drama, Biography, Adventure

• Background: The film is a dramatic feature-length adaptation of Dieter Dengler's true story, which Herzog previously explored in his 1997 documentary Little Dieter Needs to Fly.