Rescue Dawn (2006)

Early 1965. Laos. The pre-Vietnamese times, which are actually (but confidentially) already the dawn of the American assault against the Indochinese country. Secret mission, failure, vietkongs, prison. It's the same old story. Or not?

I don't need to introduce Werner Herzog, the important figure of the German New Wave, the director of Fitzcarraldo, Nosferatu or Jeder für sich und Gott gegen alle aka Kaspar Hauser, who at the age of 12 shared his apartment with Klaus Kinski, the worst-looking best German actor ever. Herzog isn't stranger in the American production's system, but without doubt the Rescue Dawn is his first Hollywood(-like) movie. Small remark for all the philologists: his father was a prisoner during the II. World War...
Hmm, Despite of my promise, I almost introduced him, or didn't I?

The background situation is in line with the old recipe too: the story is inspired by true events. You know what does this mean? Yes, it implies the biggest fictions:) Or it isn't?

The plot follows the case of a real person called Dieter Dengler, who's been captured by the vietkongs during his first mission at the early stage of the war. I won't tell more, instead of that I need to stress the qualities of Christian Bale's acting. I convinced about his talent since the schizo skeleton-acting in El Maquinista, but this time he gives even more. He is a protagonist in a war movie without any pathetic character. He is not a hero but a human being. At least he acts as a human being should behave. Not only in a war situation but in our everyday's life. He just doesn't believe what is happening with him, he is just doesn't take serious the whole situation. He just wanted to fly, not bombing in some stupid aimless war.


"The jungle is the prison" says one of Dengler's mate, and Herzog proves brutally the idea. Inside the deep jungle of Laos Michael Scofield would cry very desperately. Your survival skills must be stronger than your brain. This simple fact makes the purest realism what a movie can give. And we know all that the simple stories are the best. Aren't they?

8/10