Rescue Dawn (2007)

Based on true events? Either there's been a LOT of 'artistic licence' or the guy's a legend mainly in his own mind. The 'good guys' are portrayed as fools (except for Our Hero) yet because they're waving the right flag they're gonna be all right, and the 'bad guys' are almost offensively stereotyped and cartoonish. The whole thing is so totally unbelievable, as to be virtually unwatchable. And somehow, despite the escape story at it's centre, the moview is strangely boring.The jingoistic ending just compounded my view that this is not worth watching. Avoid. Would give zero stars if I could, but 1 star is the minimum rating allowed.

The begining was very slow...

So slow and frustrating- half the movie was whispered!!!

i totally enjoed this film with its action and suspence

Interesting

A story of endurance in the face of certain death. At times one feels that death would be welcomed although the hope of getting home is one very powerful incentive to survive. Worth watching as it is 'based' on a true story.

A good watch,

Now then you watch a movie that you will never forget. This is one of those movies for me ... because I found it very disturbing in some parts. Well worth watching if you are into War films.

A great movie in laos, vietnam war that needed to be told, great acting, suspense, a thriller right to end, well worth watching

A US Fighter pilot's epic struggle of survival after being shot down on a mission over Laos during the Vietnam War. I wasnt aware of this movie when released in 2007. One of the better Veitnam movies I have seen. Bale is good but the star for me was Jeremy Davies. He was outstanding as an emiciated POW

Just what you'd expect - a vietnam POW flick. Worth the watch, don't expect more than what it is.

No subtitles in the version used by Quickflix so the dialogue was at times hard to understand but great movie.

A strange film coming from somone like Herzog, who you wouldn't expect to indulge in rampant flag waving. The Laos are portrayed as violent brutes, the Americans as patriots and heroes. Nevermind that these guys rained down more bombs on Laos then any country in history. Not surprisingly, when the Laos got their hands on those responsible for killing their families and laying waste to their country, they were less than welcoming. This is touched upon in one line of text in the opening scenes and that's it. I know this is a story of escape and surival and remarkable one at that. If it were just an examination of one man's survival it would be a perfectly credible drama. But the political context is fairly and sqarely part of the movie, its just that it is shamefully one sided. That said some of the scenes are beautifully calm, a respite from the undoubted horrors being experienced by the prisoners. However the horrendously jingoistic ending completely was the last straw for me. Until then I was waiting for a wry comment from Herzog about the injustice of the bombing of Laos. It never came and as a result the film cannot expect to be seen as a fair rendering of this sorry chapter of history.

slow in parts,but keeps the interest going

Bit slow in places. Tends to leave the viewer with a lot of questions.

Good movie. Kept me watching the whole time.

Not a bad movie

Great acting by all. Overall a good movie

Slow paced war drama that sucked me right in. Very well cast and filmed.

Reminded me of so many Vietnam Stories that portrays the South Eastern Asian as shallow and evil whose only purpose is the punish and vilify the US of A. Come on guys and bit more substance please for my $30.00 a month

Although Herzog says this movie is simply a story of survival it is for this very reason the film is unsatisfactory in that it totally avoids the issue of America's almost genocidal war against the Vietnamese. The enemy are depicted as killers and crazies without giving any context as to why they might be so (has continual US bombing anything to do with it - who knows?). Watch with suspicion.

-and a half. I've just read the punter's reviews on this movie and -I'm a bit shocked. I can agree tnat sometimes it was hard to hear the whispered dialogue (especially from the painfully starved Jeremy Davies) but I thought that this was a very well done story about human endurance and courage. Slow and boring? I didn't find it so. Bale is terrific and Steve Zahn is a revelation. The extras on this DVD star Werner Herzog and show that he goes to extraordinary lengths to achieve his vision-that he inspires actors to but their bodies on the line shows the depth of respect they have for him. Just short of being a classic.

Christian Bale excels once again in this role. I was put off by all the whispering though because it was hard to hear what was being said, even though the storyline needed it. I would have liked to know what happened to the other escapees, but maybe Dengler never found out himself.

Quite a good the music gave to the feel of the move

Three and a half. Christain Bale wrestles a snake, wears leeches, has an ant nest strapped to his face, runs barefoot through the jungle and eats maggots - for real. A good film, but awesome film making.

was really let down by this movie! Was expecting something with alot more depth into it. It was too slow and too much focus on the escape pretty boring!!!

And so we have Herzog in the jungle... yet again... and to a certain extent toying with the madness it visits upon the white men - as with Aguirre and Fitzcarraldo. Slow and somewhat unsympathetic to the native inhabitants

watchable , mainly because of christian bale and zahn

ZZzzzzzz boring. Whether a true story or not, it could have had more spice added to it. I was expecting something similar to BAT21 or at the very least more action like Tears of the Sun, by the write up on the cover, but this was a great disappointment. Only watch if you are desperate, there are far better films than this one.

It's a bit slow until they end up in the camp and start making escape plans. The movie improves from there and after the escape, it gets better again.

Interesting action / war movie, just felt long and didn't draw me in as much as it should have. Worth a look once but that will be it.

A very slow and ultimately unsatisfactory story, although based on a real event. I could not help thinking whilst the main character got out all the other guys didn't, and nothing is said about that. Oly watch if you really have nothing else to do and its raining or 40+ outside.

Another one of them war movies when some guys get rescued. They spent to much time showing the way they escape and not enough on there survival

Quite a good movie, worth watching for sure. Especially knowing this is a true story of how strong and brave he had to be to escape.