This film tells the real-life story of U.S. fighter pilot Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale), a German-American shot down and captured in Laos during the Vietnam War. Dengler organized a death-defying escape for a small band of POWs from the harrowing prison camp.An extremely compelling and compassionate survival epic that is part action movie and part melodrama. It's so riveting that by the time it was over I was shocked it had been 2 hours already. Most of the movie takes place in the POW camp and the limits of abuse the men are put through and the mental toll it takes on them are scary, but not presented in a manner that would make it like a horror film and not overdone. I think that would have taken away from the film and it's presented just right the way it is. It's not all Rambo-style action either, but more about starvation and despair.
Christian Bale proves yet again that he may be the best actor of the last few years with his role as a man with the greatest survival instincts a human being could probably have. Steve Zahn as another prisoner is also fantastic in his role. They're both so good at conveying their emotions that you get caught up with them.
What didn't I like? Eh, maybe the ending was a bit too rah-rah I guess. The film had been subtle up to that point and perhaps a more reflective ending would have been better. Maybe. It's a tough film to watch, maybe the uplifting ending was needed?
I noticed at Wal-Mart they have this film packaged with Paul Newman's The Great Escape, and that's a perfect pairing. I thought about that movie often while watching this one.
This is just flat out good storytelling. A must-see for fans of Vietnam films.
8.5/10
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