Rescue Dawn

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Rescue Dawn

PG-13

2007

2h 5m

War

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

156 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

During the Vietnam War, Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale), a U.S. fighter pilot, is shot down over Laos and taken captive by enemy soldiers. Interned in a POW camp, Dengler and his fellow prisoners (Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies) endure torture, hunger and illness while they await their chance to escape.

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Critics Consensus

Director Werner Herzog has once again made a compelling tale of man versus nature, and Christian Bale completely immerses himself in the role of fighter pilot (and prisoner of war) Dieter Dengler.

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Derek Malcolm

London Evening Standard

Nov 23, 2007

3/5

What we miss is the real Herzogian touch that can translate tales of derringdo into something more than mere adventure and stir the soul as well as the heart and mind.

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Nov 23, 2007

3/5

An effective, unassuming and old-fashioned action adventure which is - perhaps a little faute de mieux - probably the best film of the week.

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James Christopher

The Times (UK)

Nov 23, 2007

3/5

The performances are worryingly Method. Bale eats bowls of maggots. I had to look away when he tucked into a live snake.

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Ian Buruma

The New York Review of Books

Aug 23, 2018

Somehow his story, reenacted in the feature film, fails to catch fire in the way it does in the documentary. It looks oddly conventional, even flat.

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Brandy McDonnell

The Oklahoman

Aug 13, 2018

2.5/4

While Zahn and Davies offer amazing performances, Bale's starring turn often falls flat. Herzog doesn't give him much to work with: The writer-director is reluctant to allow his hero any flaws, even fear and despair, on his harrowing journey.

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Kevin Carr

7M Pictures

Apr 28, 2014

3/5

Unlike a traditional Hollywood movie, Rescue Dawn follows the pacing and irony of real life. It is far from predictable and far from formulaic.

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Gareth V

@geewah Oct 16, 2026

Rescue Dawn is a strong, well-acted survival drama, and it’s a fascinating entry point to Herzog’s work.

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Noel L

@RT15930389 Oct 5, 2026

What a captivating and sad true story about an American hero

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Welll A

@Azevader88 Sep 29, 2026

Tense and very intense film. Another exquisite work by Christian Bale and a show of dry direction by Herzog.

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Daniel L

@Hotchopeppa Jul 29, 2026

Ok but not amazing. It’s an amazing story but the movie itself is quite a slow burn with not a whole lot happening. Go into it with low expectations and you won’t be disappointed. Oh but Steve Zahn is amazing as a struggling captive.

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shane O

@Shanes_DVD_Shack Mar 6, 2026

It has a slow start , the directing seems a little strange, strange choice of camera angles some of them feel like they were shot on an iPhone . The acting is wooden and the script clunky . But it does get better as it goes on

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Brady W

@GhostNZ Jul 12, 2025

Really expected more from the film, never really felt much in the way of tension and the few special effects that were in used were of poor quality.

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Werner Herzog

Director

Christian Bale

Dieter Dengler

Steve Zahn

Duane

Jeremy Davies

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Galen Yuen

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Synopsis

During the Vietnam War, Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale), a U.S. fighter pilot, is shot down over Laos and taken captive by enemy soldiers. Interned in a POW camp, Dengler and his fellow prisoners (Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies) endure torture, hunger and illness while they await their chance to escape.

Director: Werner Herzog
Producer: Elton Brand, Steve Marlton, Harry Knapp
Screenwriter: Werner Herzog
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Gibraltar Entertainment and Production LLC
Rating: PG-13 (Torture|Intense War Violence)
Genre: War, History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 27, 2007, Limited
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jul 4, 2007
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 3, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.5M
Runtime: 2h 5m

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