or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
More Buying Choices
43 used & new from $7.33

Have one to sell? Sell yours here

or

Get a $3.00 Amazon.com Gift Card
 
   
Rescue Dawn [Blu-ray]
 
See larger image
 

Rescue Dawn [Blu-ray] (2006)

Starring: Christian Bale, Steve Zahn Director: Werner Herzog Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Format: Blu-ray
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (93 customer reviews)

List Price: $39.99
Price: $9.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $30.00 (75%)
  Special Offers Available
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Want it delivered Wednesday, November 25? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
15 new from $8.39 27 used from $7.33 1 collectible from $42.95
Movies and TV Black Friday Deals Week
New Deals All Week Long
It's Black Friday all week long here and we've got new deals on sale every day in our Movies & TV Black Friday Store. Plus, check out our calendar of amazingly low-priced lightning deals being featured throughout the week. Restrictions apply.

Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this DVD with Up (4 Disc Combo Pack with Digital Copy and DVD) [Blu-ray] DVD ~ Edward Asner

Rescue Dawn [Blu-ray] + Up (4 Disc Combo Pack with Digital Copy and DVD) [Blu-ray]

Special Offers and Product Promotions

  • Buy any DVD shipped and sold by Amazon.com and you can get a 12-issue subscription to either Rolling Stone, Men's Journal or Us Weekly for only $1. Here's how (restrictions apply)
  • Save up to 60% on hit movies on Blu-ray like The Da Vinci Code, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Surf's Up, and more.

  • Check out the Blu-ray Store to find everything you need to go Blu.

  • All About Firmware: Having trouble with your high-def disc player? Will certain discs just not play? You may need to update the firmware inside your machine. Learn how and see links to more information on manufacturers' sites.


What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?


Product Details

  • Actors: Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies
  • Directors: Werner Herzog
  • Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Subtitles: English, Spanish
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Studio: MGM
  • DVD Release Date: November 20, 2007
  • Run Time: 126 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (93 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B000WMA6QO
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,665 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

    Popular in this category: (What's this?)

    #1 in  Movies & TV > Art House & International > By Director > Herzog, Werner
  • For more information about "Rescue Dawn [Blu-ray]" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

In the tradition of The Great Escape and The Deer Hunter, Rescue Dawn is Werner Herzog's take on the pulse-pounding POW genre. Unlike most such efforts, however, his isn't just based on a true story, it's a remake of his 1997 documentary Little Dieter Needs to Fly. German-born Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale, who first made his mark in Steven Spielberg’s prison camp drama Empire of the Sun) has longed to pilot a plane since he was a boy. When he joins the Navy during the Vietnam War, he gets his wish. Then he's shot down over Laos. Though he survives, Dengler is captured by the Pathet Lao. Through his internment, he meets Duane Martin (Steve Zahn in his finest performance), with whom he becomes fast friends. While Dengler is arrogant and resourceful, Martin is patient and humble. With Dengler's assistance, the prisoners escape, but the untamed wilderness turns out to be just as dangerous (cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger ably captures its cruel beauty). Those who've seen Little Dieter know how this tale ends. Suffice to say, Herzog's reenactment makes for rousing entertainment. If the film has a flaw, it's that the rah-rah finale plays like something from out of a mainstream sports movie. That quibble aside, the actors, including Jeremy Davies as a delusional campmate and Toby Huss as a fellow flyer, are aces. And Herzog, who's been concentrating on nonfiction, like Grizzly Man, proves he can direct a Hollywood-style action epic with the best of 'em. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Beyond Rescue Dawn

Little Dieter Needs to Fly

Christian Bale Films

More from MGM



Stills from Rescue Dawn









Product Description

Real-life story of a US fighter pilot Dengler, shot down and captured during the Vietnam War. Christian Bale as Dengler, plans a death-defying escape.

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Home of the Brave [Blu-ray]

Home of the Brave [Blu-ray]

DVD ~ Samuel L. Jackson
3.1 out of 5 stars (40)  $9.99
Mr. Brooks [Blu-ray]

Mr. Brooks [Blu-ray]

DVD ~ Kevin Costner
3.9 out of 5 stars (175)  $9.99
Little Dieter Needs to Fly

Little Dieter Needs to Fly

DVD ~ Werner Herzog
4.5 out of 5 stars (37)  $13.49
3:10 to Yuma [Blu-ray]

3:10 to Yuma [Blu-ray]

DVD ~ Christian Bale
3.9 out of 5 stars (406)  $23.99
Eastern Promises [Blu-ray]

Eastern Promises [Blu-ray]

DVD ~ Naomi Watts
4.1 out of 5 stars (207)  $12.99
Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(4)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

 

Customer Reviews

93 Reviews
5 star:
 (31)
4 star:
 (38)
3 star:
 (10)
2 star:
 (7)
1 star:
 (7)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (93 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
121 of 126 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars 'If it is full, empty it. If it is empty, fill it.', November 23, 2007
By Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
This review is from: Rescue Dawn (DVD)
So speaks Dieter Dengler when asked for comment at the end of his journey of jungle captivity in Laos. RESCUE DAWN is as much about the courage and fortitude of a captured soldier during wartime as it is about a true incident. From the inherent optimism of pilot Dieter Dengler (played with commitment and finesse by Christian Bale) the story transcends biopic and offers lessons for life in general; the human spirit can be indefatigable.

Writer/director Werner Herzog has expanded his 1997 documentary about Dieter Dengler and in doing so he has provided us entry into the psyches of soldiers captured by the enemy and the extraordinarily trying conditions in which they survive. The optimistic and eager Dengler is sent on a classified mission to bomb certain targets in Laos in 1965 with his fellow pilots including his best friend Spook (Toby Huss). Denlger is shot down and captured, interrogated, tortured, and placed in a prison with fellow inmates Duane (Steve Zahn in a career changing superb performance), Gene (the emaciated and excellent Jeremy Davies), Phisit (Abhijati 'Meuk' Jusakul), and Procet (Lek Chaiyan Chunsuttiwat). The living conditions are deplorable: the men are starved, chained together making even the possibility of caring for bodily functions negligible, and the moral is low. Dengler changes that using his ingenuity and immediately plans for escape. Duane aids Dengler but Gene fears the consequences of an aborted escape attempt. Yet with Dengler's expertise and cunning the escape into the jungle is planned and is essentially successful - until the other enemy (the jungle) reduces the forces to one. As Dengler is rescued he is left with the ghosts of his fellow inmates, a factor that will haunt him and alter his life after rescue.

Christian Bale's performance is near perfect as are the performances by Zahn and Davies. The film feels too long at times but that also suggests that director Herzog wants the audience to understand the mental deterioration and stagnant time cycle that cripples prisoners of war. The atmosphere of the prison camp is presented well and if the ending of the film becomes a bit too 'Hollywood', after the 2+ hours of prison confinement that is somewhat of a relief. RESCUE DAWN is a powerful film with some of the best acting of the year's crop and certainly deserves the attention of a wide audience. Grady Harp, November 07
Comment Comments (3) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Rescue Dawn - War Drama Based on a Real POW, December 17, 2007
Rescue Dawn is unique among war films. It's not the fast paced action thriller of so many fictionalized war movies, yet it offers the story of a real man told tastefully through suspense and drama. For those looking for graphic battle gore, this isn't the movie for you. If you can take the time to study and appreciate how a horrendous situation can impact a man's thoughts and identity, you will find a lot to learn from here.

Christian Bale plays Dieter Dengler, a pilot shot down at the onset of the Vietnam War in neighboring Laos. He miraculously survives the crash and has to contend with his capture and reeducation by his communist captors. He is eventually taken to a camp where there are other Americans. The rest of the plot, while long, is best experienced without an outline.

Bale's acting is great. The supporting cast is equally as impressive, especially Steve Zahn as Duane and Jeremy Davies as Gene. The lush rain-forest is also a character in this movie, and the cinematography beautifully captures one of the world's most awe-inspiring and dangerous places.

The story was previously told in Werner Herzog's documentary, "Little Dieter Needs to Fly." Little Dieter Needs to Fly The script is nicely written, but much of it still comes across as a documentary. The director uses suspense and time to convey the anxiety of the situation. That's part of the reason wider film audiences are turned off or left wanting more.

I suspect that this movie would have had more visual impact in theatres. Unfortunately, it never reached wide theatrical release in the USA. The closest viewing most of us can have is to try to see the Blu-Ray version, which is visually stunning.

Ultimately, what will a man do to survive such an ordeal? What would you do to survive? This movie is a careful study that will appeal to film lovers. It isn't pro or against anything. It is simply the story of one man's ordeal.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars If you want nonstop action, go elsewhere..., November 25, 2007
By Asa Fisk (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I decided to pick up Rescue Dawn on Blu-ray as a blind buy after reading so many positive reviews of the film. Overall, I was not disappointed!

First off, trailers for the DVD on television will make the movie appear to be packed with action. It's not. It's a character driven drama more than anything else, so if that's not what you're looking for go snatch up Die Hard 4 (another great movie). What I found truly compelling is that you could see the characters' actual physical and mental changes throughout the story - especially Christian Bale's - and thus feel more emotionally attached to the characters and their fates. Aside from the story itself, the movie looks beautiful in high definition (lots of lush green jungle scenes) and is very tastefully shot. The sound is quite nice, too, although I don't have an audio rig capable of playing the DTS-HD soundtrack.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this to fans of drama or war movies.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Tale of a brilliant survivor
I can't remember the last time I actually found a movie worth seeing in a theatre. I did not see this film in a theatre, but I wish I had! Read more
Published 25 days ago by Thorulf

2.0 out of 5 stars This movie is dry and somewhat boring.
I enjoy movies based on true stories. That, and the fact that this movie also have very good ratings, was the reason why I decided to purchase the film. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Sola Fide

5.0 out of 5 stars Rescue Dawn = absolute brilliance!
Cinematically impressive, Rescue Dawn encompasses the amazing talents of Christian Bale and Steve Zahn among others in a film based on a true story that finds these men trapped in... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ms. B. Pearce

4.0 out of 5 stars Herzog and Bale = 4 stars
I enjoyed this movie though it was gut wrenching and had some really brutal moments that stick with you. Read more
Published 3 months ago by john m mozuke

5.0 out of 5 stars it's a great movie
Another war movie, however, this one is a little bit different from all the other ones. Instead of focusing on constant shooting action, strategies involving taking out the... Read more
Published 3 months ago by B. E Jackson

5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful, inspiring film, but...
I was disturbed to learn, after seeing and admiring Werner Herzog's "Rescue Dawn," that the surviving families of Dieter Dengler and other Vietnam-era POWs depicted in the film... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Miles D. Moore

2.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps I didn't get it, but lame acting
1. This is a great story that needs to be told.

2. However, when the movie was over, I was left with a feeling of disappointed / dissatisfaction. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Harry M. Shin

4.0 out of 5 stars One of Christian Bale's best performances
Real tale of a Vietnam pilot who gets shot down, captured and escapes. Amazing performances from Christian Bale and the entire cast. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Alan Starr

4.0 out of 5 stars GRIPPING AND INSPIRING!
A more psychological POW film than most with good performances through out.
Christian Bales hands in another gut-wrenching performance in this sad, but inspiring tale of a... Read more
Published 5 months ago by ! MR. KNOW IT ALL ;-b

1.0 out of 5 stars Laughable and Awful
The story behind this movie is a great one, too bad the movie is ruined by Bale's horrible acting. There are times this movie embarrassed me it was so bad. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Keith Langkan

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   




IMDb Says...

Learn more about Rescue Dawn opens new browser window on IMDb.com opens new browser window the Internet Movie Database.
IMDb Logo

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.