Rescue Dawn (2006)

I've seen a fair share of Vietnam movies and this one brought an entirely new humanity to the genre: real dialogue. As the story is based on a true character's experience as a POW in Laos, we don't get loaded down with philosophical and witty writing. The POWs are emaciated and their dialogue is kept simple and quiet. Their captors speak and we, like their prisoners, don't understand. What also sold me on the film was the lack of superhero gunslingers to save the day and no American flag music.

The jungle and stunts are realistic and we get the sense that the actors were told what to do on day 1 and the camera crew followed them as the actors experienced everything in real time. Because of this, it is easy to empathize with the madness, hopelessness, and resilience that drip from the characters.

Official Site | IMDB