Bale's performance excels Rescue Dawn from average to a solid film

“Rescue Dawn”
Starring: Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies
3 stars out of 4


Christian Bale earns another notch on his acting belt, as he plays imprisoned pilot Dieter Dengler who was shot down during a pre-Vietnam mission. Dengler was German born, and the whole movie shows his escape from the Vietcong that are holding him and a few others prisoner, in there cruel camp.

The director of the film is Werner Herzog, who previously directed the documentary “Little Dieter Needs to Fly”, a story also about Dengler’s epic fight for survival. This film is shot mostly in the POW camp, and in the hot jungle, Herzog’s camera captures every sense of tension, and desperation felt by these characters, especially the superstar Bale who turns in another meaty role that should demand Oscar attention.

It was supposed to be a basic mission, flying over Laos, and dropping bombs on enemy supply lines, instead Dieter is shot down, dragged through the jungle and introduced to his home in a small hut with a few other prisoners, played by Zahn and Davies, both with long hair, and grown out beards. Also Davies, who obviously lost much weight for this role, to show the hunger and starvation these people endured.

The story is strictly a human one; not a war movie by any means. The characters grow insane, as the psychology of there situation comes crashing down on them as the days pass, Dieter, remains sharp, and hopeful that when the first rain comes over the hot jungle, they can escape and fight of the Vietcong. Bale is fascinating as his character remains intact during this grueling and enduring experience. Herzog’s cinematography pays close attention to the jungle surroundings and climate that are much of an imprisonment, as the Vietcong. One character says “the jungle is the enemy.”

I wanted to like the film better, I wish I could have cared for the characters more, although I definitely felt the peril of Dengler’s escape, I wanted a little more. We never find out how long he was actually there, or what happened to the other prisoners. I respect and admire the film for its performances, mainly Bale’s and Zahn’s, also, Herzog’s camera work and setting were depression and beautiful at the same time.

Killer Aptitude

“The Bourne Ultimatum”
Starring: Matt Damon, David Strathairn, Joan Allen, Julia Stiles, Paddy Considine
3.5 stars out of 4


The Jason Bourne series enters its third installment, with the pressure of going for a 3 peat of successful films, which are hard to come by these days, with most summer threequels succumbing to unsuccessful installments, the Bourne series bursts through the screen with relentless action, and scope.

Director Paul Greengrass, who helmed only the 2nd installment (Bourne Supremacy), proves he is worthy to helm this franchise further, if required. The film opens with Jason Bourne, once again on the run from foreign officials, while stile seeking out his identity. Bourne played amazingly by Damon, is still in a state of alienation, and despair, as he cannot face what he has done, which is a trained killer, who cannot face or remember his past. In this installment, Bourne finally seeks out his beginning and who was behind his blurred past.

The film introduces David Strathairn as a government official who is behind project Blackbriar, a project which would follow in Treadstone’s paths. Straithairn comes into disagreement with Pamela Tandy (Allen) on whether Bourne should be killed, or rather explained his past to him. Both actors are solid in there respective parts. Bourne is lured out of hiding to contact a journalist named Simon Ross (Paddy Considine), who has been following his story. Throughout his research, Ross has gathered valuable information about Bourne and Treadstone, which trained him.

I haven’t appreciated the previous installments until now; Ultimatum is a fierce thriller with pulsating action scenes, good acting, and wide scope, ranging from Russia, Italy, Spain, the US, and other locations, just like the previous installments. Jason Bourne’s character, while quiet, and not given a lot of dialogue is truly a special character, we learn more from him with looks, than when he is talking.

If the film is disliked by some, it will be due to fast camera movement, which is essential to showing the chaos of an action scene, or the fast paced traveling of the characters. This if the best action film of the summer, and easily the best of the summer sequels. These very well could be the films that define the spy-genre in years to come. Much is credit to Greengrass and his frantic pacing and urge to push the audience over the edge with chase scenes, action, and the Government being driven crazy by not being able to stop this freak of nature named Jason Bourne. I would advise people to obviously check out Bourne Identity, and Supremacy, a lot of the film talks about occurrences in both.

The film is not only a great summer film, but one of the best movies of the year, with its smarts, acting, and fast paced nature, the “Bourne Ultimatum” provides all of the thrills any movie-goer could wish for.