Rescue Dawn

Rescue Dawn is based on the true story of Dieter Dengler, a pilot who became a prisoner of war in Vietnam. The film was directed by Werner Herzog, who made a 1997 documentary about Dengler called Little Dieter Needs to Fly. Rescue Dawn is set in Laos, where Dieter was shot down in 1965 and taken captive by guerillas. He is given the option to renounce his loyalty to the United States by signing a document that condemns the Vietnam War but he refuses. In return the militants torture him and imprison with fellow Americans. He organizes an escape from the prison after months of poor treatment and minimal food. After their successful jailbreak, he and friend Duane Martin, played by Steve Zahn must trek through the jungle to neighboring Thailand in hopes that they will be rescued by American forces.