Forget Transformers, the real must-see movie this Independence Day is Rescue Dawn, a war drama about a fighter pilot named Dieter Dengler who was captured and ultimately escaped from a Laotian prison camp during the Vietnam War. I saw this movie a few months ago and it is still with me. It is powerful, sad, and most of all, pretty accurate--which you'll find quite disturbing.
The always-talented Christian Bale (Batman Begins, American Psycho) is wonderful as usual as the irrepressible Dengler, and Jeremy Davies (Spanking the Monkey, Saving Private Ryan) is Holocaust-survivor thin and Charles-Manson crazy as his co-prisoner. But the best part may be getting to see the criminally underused Steve Zahn (Reality Bites, Saving Silverman) show off his remarkably ample acting chops.
Rescue Dawn opens in very limited release this Independence Day, with a national roll out to follow later in the month. Whether you can see it now or you have to wait a week or two, it should definitely be at the top of your "to see" list.
To read more about the amazing Rescue Dawn, click here for Jeff Otto's complete review.