Having just rented and watched this movie, I found it a movie that has left a good impression. In Bale's role of Dieter, it makes me wonder if this portrays Dieter's personality nuance(s), which was most refreshingly different. It seemed almost unreal with his quip approach and conversation with the camp commander, who came across as likable! In view of the film's PG-13 rating, I gather much of the actual horrors were toned down, but there was no mistaking the trauma affect with the phantom "ghost" repeating his feet were cold whilst the off-screen vivid memory of a sadistic brutal attack. This insertion of the cold feet was a good transition from grief back into the business of being rescued.
While watching this film another film done with Gene Hackman (Bat-21) came to mind, which is hard to make comparative differences due to the nature of each POW's experiences and personality portrayals. There are other films, of course, which portray the endurance(s) of surviving prisoner of war camps (and escaping or being rescued), but this one had a unique quality to it and Christian Bale did a wonderful job. The jungle was portrayed better in this film than many with being entangled with vines and so forth in trying to make their way out ... no small wonder why it takes forever to get thru the jungle .. especially with one machete.
All in all, this movie was very entertaining to the end and I would recommend it.
While watching this film another film done with Gene Hackman (Bat-21) came to mind, which is hard to make comparative differences due to the nature of each POW's experiences and personality portrayals. There are other films, of course, which portray the endurance(s) of surviving prisoner of war camps (and escaping or being rescued), but this one had a unique quality to it and Christian Bale did a wonderful job. The jungle was portrayed better in this film than many with being entangled with vines and so forth in trying to make their way out ... no small wonder why it takes forever to get thru the jungle .. especially with one machete.
All in all, this movie was very entertaining to the end and I would recommend it.