Critic Reviews

Rescue Dawn (2007) Rank 5 Reviews

Expert Review Summary
Movie critics combined give Rescue Dawn (2007) a score of 3.0642 out of 4
based on (102) reviews
Click on the numbers to the right of the graph to see reviews of that rating
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Reviews by Score:
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for New York Post (Kyle Smith)New York Post (Kyle Smith)
IN “The Great Escape,” Steve McQueen proved that the Germans could take away our freedom but never our baseball gloves. In “Cool Hand Luke,” Paul Newman taught us that sometimes nothin’ is a real cool hand. And ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at New York Post (Kyle Smith)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for Film Scouts (Jason Gorber)Film Scouts (Jason Gorber)
A very accomplished film, and Bale continues to impress with his craft. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Film Scouts (Jason Gorber)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for Detroit News (Tom Long)Detroit News (Tom Long)
Takes what could have been a mundane if well-made war story into something greater -- more harrowing, more hungry and more human. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Detroit News (Tom Long)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for efilmcritic.com (Dan Lybarger)efilmcritic.com (Dan Lybarger)
Herzog proves that realism can be more thrilling than most cinematic gimmicks. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at efilmcritic.com (Dan Lybarger)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for eFilmCritic.com (Brian Orndorf)eFilmCritic.com (Brian Orndorf)
Rescue Dawn is stark, blessedly simple, and encrusted with a thickened level of primitive sophistication, celebrating the fight to survive with euphoric and evocative visual brush strokes. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Brian Orndorf)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for Arizona Republic (Randy Cordova)Arizona Republic (Randy Cordova)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for Contra Costa Times (Mary F. Pols)Contra Costa Times (Mary F. Pols)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for Entertainment Weekly (Lisa Schwarzbaum)Entertainment Weekly (Lisa Schwarzbaum)
But just as exciting -- maybe even more so, for those who love the medium and, especially, the uplift of the great-escape genre -- Rescue Dawn is a triumphant Werner Herzog movie. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Entertainment Weekly (Lisa Schwarzbaum)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for San Francisco Chronicle (Walter V. Addiego)San Francisco Chronicle (Walter V. Addiego)
Herzog aims this genre effort at a broader audience than he usually gets, and he does so without losing his soul. It's a remarkably straightforward tale that allows the director to dwell on obsessions familiar to those who know his work. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at San Francisco Chronicle (Walter V. Addiego)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for ColeSmithey.com (Cole Smithey)ColeSmithey.com (Cole Smithey)
Werner Herzog's sensational narrative version of the story he told in his acclaimed 1997 documentary "Little Dieter Needs To Fly," about former real-life Navy pilot Dieter Dengler," is a wartime escape movie to top all others. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at ColeSmithey.com (Cole Smithey)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for Reeling Reviews (Robin Clifford)Reeling Reviews (Robin Clifford)
...a finely crafted work that benefits from the vision and talent of Werner Herzog. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Reeling Reviews (Robin Clifford)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for efilmcritic.com (Peter Sobczynski)efilmcritic.com (Peter Sobczynski)
A film that works as a thrilling adventure as exciting and visceral as any put on the screen in recent memory and as an intimate character piece about an ordinary man whose extraordinary courage allows him to persevere against seemingly insurmountable odd ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at efilmcritic.com (Peter Sobczynski)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 4.00 out of 4 stars for Nick Schager Film Project (Nick Schager)Nick Schager Film Project (Nick Schager)
Remaking Little Dieter Needs to Fly as a fictional feature always seemed a project doomed to unflattering comparisons, as Werner Herzog’s 1997 documentary about the titular German-American fighter pilot and his escape from a Vietnam POW camp remains ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Nick Schager Film Project (Nick Schager)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.75 out of 4 stars for Murphy's Movie Reviews (Ted Murphy)Murphy's Movie Reviews (Ted Murphy)
RESCUE DAWN, despite some flaws, is a damn near great movie. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Murphy's Movie Reviews (Ted Murphy)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.75 out of 4 stars for EricDSnider.com (Eric D. Snider)EricDSnider.com (Eric D. Snider)
Even if this story weren't true, it would still be riveting. Herzog has found inspiration in the wilds of the jungle once again. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at EricDSnider.com (Eric D. Snider)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.75 out of 4 stars for Dallas Morning News (Mario Tarradell)Dallas Morning News (Mario Tarradell)
Rescue Dawn avoids all the land mines inherent in most war movies. There's no hero worship; no noisy, confusing, special-effects-enhanced battle scene. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Dallas Morning News (Mario Tarradell)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.75 out of 4 stars for City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul (--)City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul (--)
othing if not appropriate for summer blockbuster season, Werner Herzog's latest feature, based on his 1997 documentary Little Dieter Needs to Fly, offers a suitably fantastic tale of war, freedom, and fortitude, set in the ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul (--)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.75 out of 4 stars for Compuserve (Harvey S. Karten)Compuserve (Harvey S. Karten)
Christian Bale's performance quality is inversely proportional to his weight. He's anorectic here. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Compuserve (Harvey S. Karten)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.75 out of 4 stars for Baltimore Sun (Chris Kaltenbach)Baltimore Sun (Chris Kaltenbach)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.75 out of 4 stars for Ozus' World Movie Reviews (Dennis Schwartz)Ozus' World Movie Reviews (Dennis Schwartz)
Christian Bale, the American psycho, makes for a wonderfully obsessed Herzog protagonist. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Ozus' World Movie Reviews (Dennis Schwartz)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.75 out of 4 stars for Cinepinion (Henry Stewart)Cinepinion (Henry Stewart)
Deiter's effective individualism can't help but smell of ugly patriotism...but Herzog is careful not to allow his film to devolve into the jingoistic, as it's a time when making heroic war movies is nothing short of irresponsible. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Cinepinion (Henry Stewart)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.60 out of 4 stars for tonymedley.com (Tony Medley)tonymedley.com (Tony Medley)
This is the kind of film that rests on the director to keep up the pace and make what seems superhuman believable. Herzog passes muster with flying colors. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at tonymedley.com (Tony Medley)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.50 out of 4 stars for Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
This gritty tale pulls no punches in its depiction of a brutal prison in Laos and the even worse conditions outside prison in the jungle. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.50 out of 4 stars for Onion AV Club (Scott Tobias)Onion AV Club (Scott Tobias)
Dieter Dengler is Werner Herzog's kind of guy, a high-spirited dreamer and adventurer who has the courage to stare death in the face and not flinch. Herzog first captured Dengler's harrowing tale of survival in the 1998 documentary Little Dieter Needs To ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Onion AV Club (Scott Tobias)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.50 out of 4 stars for Philadelphia Daily News (Gary Thompson)Philadelphia Daily News (Gary Thompson)
Rescue Dawn has been compared to Vietnam-era POW movies, but as a classic study of men in captivity, surrounded by a gateless, natural prison, it's really more like Papillon. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Philadelphia Daily News (Gary Thompson)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.50 out of 4 stars for Flipside Movie Emporium (Rob Vaux)Flipside Movie Emporium (Rob Vaux)
Solid viewing, if not quite on par with Herzog's best. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Flipside Movie Emporium (Rob Vaux)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.44 out of 4 stars for Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Philip Martin)Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Philip Martin)
... a pretty good movie that could be received on the level of pure entertainment. It is no less Hollywoodized than The Great Escape or Stalag 17 . ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Philip Martin)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.36 out of 4 stars for Apollo Guide (Brian Webster)Apollo Guide (Brian Webster)
Rescue Dawn is subtle in its politics but still works powerfully well as both an incredible story of personal survival and an anti-war treatise. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Apollo Guide (Brian Webster)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.25 out of 4 stars for Monsters and Critics (Ron Wilkinson)Monsters and Critics (Ron Wilkinson)
When acclaimed ultimate-reality film director Werner Herzog first met Dieter Dengler he saw a match made in heaven. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Monsters and Critics (Ron Wilkinson)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Sacramento News & Review (Jim Lane)Sacramento News & Review (Jim Lane)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Antagony & Ecstasy (Tim Brayton)Antagony & Ecstasy (Tim Brayton)
The key is to not think about it as a Herzog film...and just as a really top-tier war drama. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Antagony & Ecstasy (Tim Brayton)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Greenwich Village Gazette (Eric Lurio)Greenwich Village Gazette (Eric Lurio)
Steve Zahn deserves an Oscar for this, so does Christian Bale. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Greenwich Village Gazette (Eric Lurio)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for ReviewExpress.com (Diana Saenger)ReviewExpress.com (Diana Saenger)
An enthralling story that explores the human spirit in the most devastating of circumstances. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at ReviewExpress.com (Diana Saenger)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Austin Chronicle (Marjorie Baumgarten)Austin Chronicle (Marjorie Baumgarten)
Herzog outdoes himself with Rescue Dawn, making his most popularly accessible film yet and proving at the same time that he is among the most daring of all filmmakers. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Austin Chronicle (Marjorie Baumgarten)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for New York Times (Matt Zoller Seitz)New York Times (Matt Zoller Seitz)
A satisfying genre picture that challenges the viewer’s expectations. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at New York Times (Matt Zoller Seitz)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Jam! Movies (Jim Slotek)Jam! Movies (Jim Slotek)
Bale's crazy dedication provides all the substance needed in this reality-based Vietnam era PoW movie, in which Werner Herzog turns a Teutonic eye to the Hollywood war film genre, coldly stripping it of sentimentality and hero iconography. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Jam! Movies (Jim Slotek)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Los Angeles Times (Carina Chocano)Los Angeles Times (Carina Chocano)
Aside from a riveting adventure story that Herzog tells in all of its terrifying, stripped-down simplicity, Rescue Dawn is a fascinating study of human particularity. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Los Angeles Times (Carina Chocano)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for Shadows on the Wall (Rich Cline)Shadows on the Wall (Rich Cline)
Expertly filmed and vividly well-acted, this true-life war thriller is remarkably understated and yet powerfully gripping and moving. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Shadows on the Wall (Rich Cline)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for ReelTalk Movie Reviews (Jeffrey Chen)ReelTalk Movie Reviews (Jeffrey Chen)
Herzog trusts in the story without furnishing any embellishment, and the result packs a good punch all its own. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at ReelTalk Movie Reviews (Jeffrey Chen)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for PopMatters (Bill Gibron)PopMatters (Bill Gibron)
Though this kind of film has been done dozens of times before, Herzog's desire for authenticity, along with his unusual approach to the underlying politics of the era, drive Rescue Dawn far above other battle scar epics. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at PopMatters (Bill Gibron)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.20 out of 4 stars for About.com (Jurgen Fauth)About.com (Jurgen Fauth)
Dieter Dengler's jungle ordeal is bursting with the themes that have defined Herzog's career, and it's one hell of a story. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at About.com (Jurgen Fauth)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
Is Werner Herzog trying to do an Orson Welles? In 1946 the latter, saddled with a reputation for perfectionism, unreliability and artiness that poisoned the possibility of his being hired for studio directing jobs, agreed to make a conventional picture ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Christian Science Monitor (Peter Rainer)Christian Science Monitor (Peter Rainer)
Although nothing beats seeing and hearing the real story, Herzog has done a fairly compelling job of blending staged action with docudrama authenticity. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Christian Science Monitor (Peter Rainer)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for NewsBlaze (Kam Williams)NewsBlaze (Kam Williams)
Further proof that Christian Bale might be the best thespian around never nominated for an Oscar. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at NewsBlaze (Kam Williams)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Metromix.com (Matt Pais)Metromix.com (Matt Pais)
Gives a sense of not only what it was like to be there but the brotherhood that comes from being holed up in close quarters, waiting for a search party that may never come. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Metromix.com (Matt Pais)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Deseret News, Salt Lake City (Jeff Vice)Deseret News, Salt Lake City (Jeff Vice)
Rescue Dawn is one of the best movies out there -- war or otherwise. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Deseret News, Salt Lake City (Jeff Vice)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for ReelViews (James Berardinelli)ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
With its high level of verisimilitude, unhurried pace, and stretches of tension, Rescue Dawn represents a solid effort from Herzog that fans of the genre should actively seek out. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Reel Film Reviews (David Nusair)Reel Film Reviews (David Nusair)
...much of the film's success is due primarily to Bale's captivating, flat-out astounding performance as the actor becomes Dieter to an almost ridiculous degree... ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Reel Film Reviews (David Nusair)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Newark Star-Ledger (Stephen Whitty)Newark Star-Ledger (Stephen Whitty)
In its study of an American pilot, surviving only because of his single-minded obsession with staying alive, Rescue Dawn is compelling and dramatic and emotional. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Newark Star-Ledger (Stephen Whitty)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)
If Rescue Dawn isn't about heroism, then it's about something deeper, more primitive: survival instinct. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
It's easy to understand why Herzog was driven to tell this story twice. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Los Angeles Daily News (Bob Strauss)Los Angeles Daily News (Bob Strauss)
Here's an odd Fourth of July gift to America from our old pals, the Germans. "Rescue Dawn" recounts the Vietnam War-era adventure of the late Dieter Dengler, who was also the subject of director Werner Herzog's 1997 documentary, "Little Dieter Needs ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Los Angeles Daily News (Bob Strauss)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Newsday (Jan Stuart)Newsday (Jan Stuart)
If you know the original, then you may receive this gripping and faithful dramatization as a kind of cinematic experiment in the relative merits of the spoken word vs. the illustrated. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Newsday (Jan Stuart)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Reel.com (JIM HEMPHILL)Reel.com (JIM HEMPHILL)
Writer-director Werner Herzog's Rescue Dawn tells the rather incredible true story of Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale), a German-born U.S. pilot who was shot down in the early days of the Vietnam War and held captive in a POW camp. There he bonded with ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Reel.com (JIM HEMPHILL)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
Herzog never shies away from anything horrific or disgusting, but rather moves in closer with an unusual fearlessness. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Kalamazoo Gazette (James Sanford)Kalamazoo Gazette (James Sanford)
certainly effective in its own way, thanks to a number of excellent performances, a few jolting visuals and Herzog's evocation of the steamy, almost impenetrable jungles of Laos and Thailand... ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Kalamazoo Gazette (James Sanford)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Arizona Daily Star (Phil Villarreal)Arizona Daily Star (Phil Villarreal)
Herzog's familiarity with the material is an invaluable resource. His insight and vision lead to an experience that can't be matched by soundstages or computer graphics. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Arizona Daily Star (Phil Villarreal)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Chicago Sun-Times (Richard Roeper)Chicago Sun-Times (Richard Roeper)
Herzog makes no attempt to pump this story up into a thrilling adventure. There is nothing thrilling about dysentery, starvation, insect bites and despair. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Richard Roeper)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)
In "Rescue Dawn," iconic German director Werner Herzog goes back into one of his film's most defining locales--the jungle--to recreate the true-life tale of Dieter Dengler, a German-born U.S. navy pilot whose plane was shot down over Laos in ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Denver Post (Michael Booth)Denver Post (Michael Booth)
That heart-stopping beginning tells us Herzog is again in top form, richly depicting the true story of the only American POW known to have escaped from Laotian captivity. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Denver Post (Michael Booth)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (John Beifuss)Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (John Beifuss)
It would be interesting to pair this well-reviewed 'art' film with 'Make Them Die Slowly' or another of the usually reviled Italian jungle-atrocity movies that covered similar ground, literally (dense tropical forest) and incidentally. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (John Beifuss)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Atlantic City Weekly (Lori Hoffman)Atlantic City Weekly (Lori Hoffman)
... an escape movie with a distinctly European feel, which means it is more real and less about rah-rah American ingenuity in the face of impossible odds. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Atlantic City Weekly (Lori Hoffman)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt (St. Paul))St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt (St. Paul))
There's a matter-of-fact quality to the horrors of Rescue Dawn and to Herzog's visualization of Dengler's half-starved hallucinations as he makes his escape. Herzog's point is that when everything is absurd, nothing is. War makes the surreal real. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt (St. Paul))
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Detroit Free Press (Terry Lawson)Detroit Free Press (Terry Lawson)
The performances here are as excellent as they are unnerving. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Detroit Free Press (Terry Lawson)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for TV Guide's Movie Guide (Ken Fox)TV Guide's Movie Guide (Ken Fox)
Once again back in his element, Herzog brings man's struggle against nature -- both outer and inner -- to the screen with an often enthralling immediacy. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at TV Guide's Movie Guide (Ken Fox)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for MovieFreak.com (Sara M. Fetters)MovieFreak.com (Sara M. Fetters)
I like filmmakers as fiercely independent as this one, directors who refuse to paint easy portraits for their audiences and make them use their brains to decipher the pluses and minuses of what is going on. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at MovieFreak.com (Sara M. Fetters)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Mark Reviews Movies (Mark Dujsik)Mark Reviews Movies (Mark Dujsik)
Herzog's admiration for [Dengler] and his story is apparent. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Mark Reviews Movies (Mark Dujsik)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)
Although the drama is taut and terrifically acted, it is pretty standard fare. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Slant Magazine (Fernando F. Croce)Slant Magazine (Fernando F. Croce)
Like his obsessed heroes, Werner Herzog continues to hear the call of the jungle. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Slant Magazine (Fernando F. Croce)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Minneapolis Star Tribune (Colin Covert)Minneapolis Star Tribune (Colin Covert)
Herzog shows all of this with a fresh, observant eye. While sadism is a staple of most POW movies, Herzog focuses on the punishing tedium and deprivation of confinement. And filming on location in Thailand gives the film a harshly sensual look. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Minneapolis Star Tribune (Colin Covert)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Boston Globe (Ty Burr)Boston Globe (Ty Burr)
Those coming to Rescue Dawn cold will probably accept it as a straightforward, even predictable account of POW suffering, and they'll hang on Bale's muscular portrayal of a man who refuses to say die. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Boston Globe (Ty Burr)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel)Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel)
...a portrait of man in dire straits forced to dig deep into himself for the resources to survive and fight back. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)
An odd but vivid and compelling mixture of big-movie showmanship and eccentric vision. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) (Josh Larsen)Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) (Josh Larsen)
...the deep-seated look of absolute fear never leaves Zahn's red-ringed eyes. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Sun Publications (Chicago, IL) (Josh Larsen)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 3.00 out of 4 stars for Scene-Stealers.com (Eric Melin)Scene-Stealers.com (Eric Melin)
Naturalistic..the dialogue was very unforced, [and it contains] spectacular performances. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Scene-Stealers.com (Eric Melin)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.80 out of 4 stars for ComingSoon.net (Edward Douglas)ComingSoon.net (Edward Douglas)
A visually-stimulating real world take on "The Great Escape" that only suffers from a slower second act and a bit of silliness. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at ComingSoon.net (Edward Douglas)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.75 out of 4 stars for Oregonian (Marc Mohan)Oregonian (Marc Mohan)
From a director known for his obsession with obsessions, it's an unfortunate smoothing out. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Oregonian (Marc Mohan)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.75 out of 4 stars for Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Paula Nechak)Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Paula Nechak)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Cinematical (Jette Kernion)Cinematical (Jette Kernion)
Lush visuals and a fascinating story ... but hardcore Herzog fans may not approve. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Cinematical (Jette Kernion)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for TheMovieChicks.com (Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone)TheMovieChicks.com (Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Orlando Sentinel (Roger Moore)Orlando Sentinel (Roger Moore)
Perhaps if [director Herzog] had tossed in a few Chevys that transform into robots, the studio would have given him the cash to make Rescue Dawn definitive, instead of generic, which is the best he manages here. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Orlando Sentinel (Roger Moore)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)
It's a good movie, maybe even a very good movie. But something is lacking. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for filmcritic.com (Jay Antani)filmcritic.com (Jay Antani)
often great, and in all the ways that Herzog's cinema can be great ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at filmcritic.com (Jay Antani)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Orlando Weekly (Ian Grey)Orlando Weekly (Ian Grey)
So here we are, mired in a stupid, loathsome war, and what does Werner Herzog do? He creates an absolutely riveting sort-of love letter to America that takes place during that last stupid, loathsome U.S. war, Vietnam. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Orlando Weekly (Ian Grey)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Film Threat (Matthew Sorrento)Film Threat (Matthew Sorrento)
Politics aside, Herzog uses a realistic tone to depict a high-energy capture and escape. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Film Threat (Matthew Sorrento)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.40 out of 4 stars for Maxim (Pete Hammond)Maxim (Pete Hammond)
A harrowing and inspiring tale of courage and endurance. It shows us the best in ourselves. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Maxim (Pete Hammond)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Globe and Mail (Rick Groen)Globe and Mail (Rick Groen)
The whole last act is, to borrow a Martin Amis phrase, a losing war against cliché." ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Globe and Mail (Rick Groen)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Film Freak Central (Walter Chaw)Film Freak Central (Walter Chaw)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)
Its tone is reflective, not combative, and it operates on a lulling rhythm, so that the jungles become either mesmerizing or a narcotic, depending on your blood sugar. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Creative Loafing (Matt Brunson)Creative Loafing (Matt Brunson)
While Herzog has hardly sold out, he has tamed his inner filmmaking demons long enough to make a respectable movie that won't ruffle any feathers during the summer film season. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Creative Loafing (Matt Brunson)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Toronto Star (Bruce DeMara)Toronto Star (Bruce DeMara)
Workmanlike and watchable, Rescue Dawn is nonetheless a disappointment in its depiction of a hero with plenty of scars but little depth or substance beyond an iron will. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Toronto Star (Bruce DeMara)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for New York Daily News (Elizabeth Weitzman)New York Daily News (Elizabeth Weitzman)
Problematic is Herzog's wildly romanticized view of his protagonist. No matter what tortures he faces, Dieter never has a moment of vulnerability. He's not a man, he's a superhero. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at New York Daily News (Elizabeth Weitzman)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for Big Picture Big Sound (Joe Lozito)Big Picture Big Sound (Joe Lozito)
Essentially a fictionalization of the documentary he made in 1997, the film seems like fertile ground for this unpredictable director. But his painstakingly plain dramatization of Dengler's experience ultimately rings hollow. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Big Picture Big Sound (Joe Lozito)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 2.00 out of 4 stars for USA Today (Scott Bowles)USA Today (Scott Bowles)
As prison-break movies go, Rescue ranks among the best. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at USA Today (Scott Bowles)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for Pop Syndicate (Stefan Halley)Pop Syndicate (Stefan Halley)
Combined with the semi-slow story, this might be a movie better seen on DVD where you can turn on the subtitles and enjoy it at home. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Pop Syndicate (Stefan Halley)
Rescue Dawn (2007) scores a combined 1.60 out of 4 stars for Boxoffice Magazine (Barbara Goslawski)Boxoffice Magazine (Barbara Goslawski)
The audience receives no new insights into the horrors of war and no answers to its ever-present conundrum. ...read the complete Rescue Dawn movie review at Boxoffice Magazine (Barbara Goslawski)
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Rescue Dawn (2007)

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Ratings and rankings are based on number of movie, review scores, awards & other criteria.
Overall Rating:
3.0813
Rescue Dawn (2007) is ranked overall as  out of 4 stars
Avg Critic Score:
3.0642
Rescue Dawn (2007) is ranked overall as  out of 4 stars
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