IMDb RATING
7.3/10
113K
YOUR RATING
A U.S. fighter pilot's epic struggle of survival after being shot down on a mission over Laos during the Vietnam War.A U.S. fighter pilot's epic struggle of survival after being shot down on a mission over Laos during the Vietnam War.A U.S. fighter pilot's epic struggle of survival after being shot down on a mission over Laos during the Vietnam War.
- Awards
- 1 win & 6 nominations total
James Aaron Oliver
- Jet Pilot
- (as James Oliver)
François Chau
- Province Governor
- (as Francois Chau)
Teerawat Mulvilai
- Little Hitler
- (as Teerawat 'Ka-Ge' Mulvilai)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe film was shot in reverse continuity so Christian Bale, having worked hard to lose weight for the role, would appear the gauntest at the end, and then could simply gain the pounds back over the course of filming, working backwards through time so that when Bale returned to his average weight he would be filming his scenes as Dengler prior to being taken prisoner.
- GoofsDuring his captivity, Dieter is shown wearing his gold wedding band - it is generally regard as something no American pilot would do. However, on the DVD Walter Herzog explains a deleted scene where Dieter's ring is almost stolen. When the guards are transporting Dengler to prison they stop at a village. A man there threatens to kill Dieter unless he gives him his ring-a gift from his fiancée. When they leave the village Dieter tells the guards his ring was stolen and they return to the village. The guards cut off the villager's ring finger and return Dieter's ring to him. This is a factual event that haunted Dengler the rest of his life.
Featured review
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.
- ElijahCSkuggs
- Jul 29, 2007
- Permalink
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $10,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $5,490,423
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $110,326
- Jul 8, 2007
- Gross worldwide
- $7,177,143
- Runtime2 hours 5 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content