O Sobrevivente

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.

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 ...

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.

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")

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.