Rescue Dawn

Tonight I was lucky enough to catch Werner Herzog's newest film Rescue Dawn. The film is about a US Navy pilot, Dieter Dengler (played by Christian Bale) who becomes a POW during US military action in Viet Nam before the war begins. The movie is based on Dieter Dengler's account of events.

The most impressive parts of this movie was the acting and directing.
Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, & Jeremy Davies all put on a spectacular performance. The driving force in the film was the fine acting. Each one of these actors played a POW. Every now and then we witness actors who put their bodies through tremendous physical stress to comply with characters they play. This movie is the prototype.

Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale) is first introduced to us as a fit, in shape Navy pilot who is about to go out on a mission over Laos. Once shot down and captured in the POW camp, we witness Dangler's slow deterioration. His cheeks gradually start to thin until his cheek bones pop out as if they are on the verge of ripping through his flesh. His muscular Navy frame dwindle downs to skin and bones. This is balanced mostly by Eugene (Jeremy Davies) who is sickly looking throughout the entire film. The sacrifice these actors made, including Zahn, for this film is incredible.

Although no too familiar with Herzog's work (although I did sit through most of Fitzcarraldo) his superb directing was noticed and appreciated. Herzog takes you on a visual journey while encapsulating your emotions. There are parts where you become tied up in the movie you forget that this is a re-creation and not live events.

The surroundings of the POW camp reminds us of a tropical getaway yet we frequently are encountered with the fact that this is a place of horror and inhumanity. Herzog draws back the camera for beautiful landscapes of the area and then draws us back in to the bamboo huts holding the POWs.

The film reminded me of present day artsy Deer Hunter. I think Deer Hunter was a better film because there were deeper characters and stories. Rescuse Dawn is a film to see if you want to experience great acting and a visually beautiful depiction of horrific circumstances.