Rate this Movie 
Rescue Dawn (2007)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work
Reviews Counted:152
Fresh:136
Rotten:16
Average Rating:7.5/10
Consensus: Director Werner Herzog has once again made a compelling tale of man v.s nature, and Christian Bale completely immerses himself in the role.
Runtime: 2 hrs 6 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release:Jul 4, 2007 Limited
Box Office: $5,300,124
Synopsis: Incomparable director Werner Herzog takes another strange turn in his eclectic career with RESCUE DAWN--a major studio picture starring Christian Bale (BATMAN BEGINS). The film is an adaptation of... [More]
Starring: Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies, Marshall Bell
Director: Werner Herzog
Get This Movie
Reviews for Rescue Dawn
| Tomatometer | Critic | Review | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
 2.5/4 |
Bale’s lack of ambiguity points to the biggest limitation of a film that makes the grade as an adventure yarn by ignoring the most disturbing implications of its story. Full Review |
||
 |
Not the typical Chuck Norris movie, but just as rancid in its own "edgy" pretentious manner. Full Review |
||
|
|
Most critics have approached Werner Herzog's latest film Rescue Dawn with qualifying kid gloves, as if it would be impolite to question a late work from such a grand old man of the seventies German New Wave. Full Review |
||
|
|
Rescue Dawn may not feel much like a Herzog movie, but it's a gripping real-life thriller. Full Review |
||
|
4/5 |
Rescue Dawn wouldn't be half the film it is if it were not for the stellar performances by Bale and Zahn. Full Review |
||
|
|
At first glance, "Rescue Dawn" might seem like Herzog gone Hollywood, but it's still very much the man's work. Herzog has his cake and eats it too. Full Review |
||
|
8/10 |
Complex and multi-faceted, Herzog has made a film with the skin of an action movie and the heart of a rhythmic, reflective poem Full Review |
||
|
4/5 |
Emocionante como aventura e como exemplo da força do espírito humano, comprova o talento inquestionável de Herzog, um dos diretores contemporâneos mais importantes e surpreendentes. Full Review |
||
|
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. Full Review |
||
|
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. Full Review |
||
|
4/5 |
The only problem with director Werner Herzog’s well-paced film is that it seems to have little point beyond admiring Dengler’s tenacity. Full Review |
||
|
3/5 |
The performances are worryingly Method. Bale eats bowls of maggots. I had to look away when he tucked into a live snake. Full Review |
||
|
3/5 |
While you have to admire Bale’s dedication – he looks like a human skeleton – the film slows to a crawl in the middle as Dengler attempts to survive life in prison. Proceedings may pick up in the last half hour, but getting there proves to be an endurance Full Review |
||
|
4/5 |
Overlong and structurally compromised, this powerful, precision-tooled film expertly illustrates just how (altogether now): fear can keep you prisoner but hope can set you free. Full Review |
||
|
4/5 |
Ray Mears has nothing on Werner Herzog. A rough guide to survival in the cruel, cruel world, with a captivating central performance from Christian Bale. Gripping, emotional and, oddly, gloriously optimistic. Full Review |
||
|
3/5 |
A quirky first half of torture, starvation and, um, stinky farts gives way to crazed jungle fever as Dengler leads a great escape into the heart of darkness. Full Review |
||
|
4/5 |
Herzog tells the story with a minimum of directorial flourish, relying instead on Bale's extraordinary ability to remain concentrated. Full Review |
||
|
4/5 |
For fans of visceral, lean and taut cinema, this is an object lesson in power and economy. Full Review |
||
|
3/5 |
Herzog’s planted rather too firmly in his discomfort zone, but Bale once again confirms himself as one of our most intense, committed and watchable actors. Full Review |
||
|
3/5 |
Like taking a family holiday to the Dordogne: sure it looks good but haven't we been here before? Full Review |
CommentLatest News for Rescue Dawn
November 24, 2007:
An awe-inspiring tale of survival! 
More...
November 20, 2007:
RT on DVD: Live Free or Hairspray This Thanksgiving
Good news, blockbuster fans: this week in home entertainment features a crowd-pleasing toe-tapper (Hairspray), the return of John McClane (Live Free or Die Hard), another... More...
November 19, 2007:
Werner Herzog on Rescue Dawn: The RT Interview
The controversial and almost mythological helmer tells us about his latest, starring Christian Bale and Steve Zahn. More...
July 29, 2007:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: The Simpsons Movie Gobbles Up $72M Opening
Moviegoers across North America embraced The Simpsons Movie which beat out all industry expectations for an explosive number one opening this weekend grossing more than the next... More...
RT On Current TV
What’s Hot On RT
Fresh Links
Featured
Techland lists the best Sci-Fi films of this decade.
Moviefone takes a look back at the biggest stinkers of the past 10 years.
The Me and Orson Welles star answers reader questions on TIME.com.
Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill offers his thoughts on what the best decade for film was.
In the AV Club's "Scenic Routes," Mike D'Angelo reminisces about the Tim Burton film.
Promos
Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!
IGN RSS Feeds