Rescue Dawn

Drama , Review , War ,

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Rescue Dawn is a 2006 war drama film directed by Werner Herzog, based on an adapted screenplay written from his 1997 documentary film,Little Dieter Needs to Fly. The film stars Christian Bale, and is based on the true story of German-American pilot Dieter Dengler, who was shot down and captured by villagers sympathetic to the Pathet Lao during an American military campaign in the Vietnam War. Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies, Pat Healy and Toby Huss also have principal roles. The film project, which had initially come together during 2004, began shooting inThailand in August 2005. Executive producers were Freddy Braidy, Jimmy De Brabant, Michael Dounaev and Gerald Green among others.

The film was made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Gibraltar Films and Thema Production. It was distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer theatrically in the U.S., and by Pathé Distribution, Hopscotch Films and Central Film GmbH in foreign markets. In home media format, the film was distributed by MGM Home Entertainment. It was originally scheduled to be released by MGM in December 2006, but was held back for limited release in the United States until 2007, with the full release on July 27 following a limited release in New York City, Toronto and Los Angeles on July 4. The film score was written by German composer Klaus Badelt, after previously working with Herzog in his 2001 film Invincible. The soundtrack was released on June 26, 2007, while the DVD and Blu-ray Disc versions of the film were released on November 20.

The film grossed $5,490,423 in US ticket receipts, and earned $1,686,720 outside the US to give a total gross of revenue of $7,177,143. The film was considered a financial failure due to its $10 million budget costs. The film recouped its losses from $24,747,717 of DVD rental and sales. Preceding its theatrical run, the film was generally met with positive critical reviews before its initial screening in cinemas. Following its cinematic release, the film was nominated for multiple awards, including a Golden Satellite Award and an Independent Spirit Award. It also won an award from the San Diego Film Critics Society for actor Christian Bale in the category of Body of Work.

Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale), a German-born U.S. Navy pilot in squadron VA-145, is shot down in his A-1 Skyraider over Laos in February 1966, while on a combat mission. He survives the crash only to be pursued, and ultimately captured, by the Pathet Lao. Dengler is given the chance for leniency by the Province Governor (François Chau) if he signs a document condemning America, but he refuses. He is tortured and taken to a prison camp. There he meets fellow American military soldiers and pilots, such as Gene DeBruin (Jeremy Davies) and Duane W. Martin (Steve Zahn), some of whom have been captive for years. Dengler begins planning an escape, much to the disbelief of his fellow combatants, who have been downtrodden through physical and psychological torture by the camp guards.

Eventually, all the prisoners agree to escape, only Dengler and Martin follow through with the plan as the others disappear and are not seen again in the film. Dengler and Martin try to reach the Mekong River to cross over into Thailand, but Martin is killed by a mob of angry villagers. Eventually, Dengler is rescued by an American helicopter but sequestered in a hospital due to the secret nature of his mission. He is visited by some of his squadron who covertly take him back to his ship, where he is welcomed as a hero by the crew.