About

The story of Dieter and Duane was always one I wanted to tell in a feature film, a tale of friendship and survival. Although 'Rescue Dawn' came second, in spirit it really was the first film. 'Little Dieter' was strongly influenced by a feature film that hadn't been made yet. - Werner Herzog

With this film, Herzog returned to the story of Dieter Dengler, the subject of his documentary Little Dieter Needs to Fly 1997. Rescue Dawn is a powerful recreation of Dengler's experiences during the Vietnam War, where he was shot down over Laos and imprisoned in a jungle prison camp.

Christian Bale gives a commanding performance as Dengler, with the actor's extreme weight loss for the role showcasing the pain and desperation of Dengler's struggles. Although Herzog takes liberties with the real story behind the film, the film captures the many unimaginable scenarios Dengler survived during his ordeal.

MA15+ | Infrequent strong violence