Rescue Dawn
RESCUE DAWN (15)
D: Werner Herzog
Pathé (Steve Marlton, Elton Brand & Harry
Knapp)
US/Luxembourg 2006
125 mins
War
W: Werner Herzog
DP: Peter Zeitlinger
Ed: Joe Bini
Mus: Klaus Badelt
Christian Bale (Dieter Dengler), Steve
Zahn (Duane), Jeremy Davies (Gene), Pat Healy (Norman)
Rescue Dawn tells the daring true story of Dieter Dengler, a
German-American pilot who was shot down following a mission over Laos, where he is captured, imprisoned and tortured, before he and the other POWs make a daring escape.
The story immerses us in the action straight away, with
Dengler's capture and imprisonment happening early in the first act. The conviction of Christian Bale's performance is incredibly convincing, whilst Steve Zahn delivers his best body of work as
another American captive, Duane.
A
curious choice for German director Werner Herzog, who does a fabulous job with, what is quite easily, his most accessible work for a mainstream audience.
7/10
