Oscar, Are You Listening?

If Christian Bale fails to receive an Academy Award nomination for his brilliant work in “Rescue Dawn,” it will be a big disappointment to me. Bale deserves recognition for his riveting performance in this outstanding film, which is based on a true story and deftly directed by Werner Herzog.

Bale portrays Dieter Dengler, a pilot whose plane is shot down over Laos during the beginning of the Vietnam War. After being captured and held prisoner, Dieter makes a daring escape through the jungle before being rescued. Showing great range of emotion here, Bale drew me into the terrifying situations his character faced, and I cared deeply about him.

Am I surprised at the quality of acting Bale displays in this movie? Absolutely not! He has impressed me with each performance, going all the way back to his childhood days in “Empire of the Sun,” my favorite Steven Spielberg movie. Bale may be known primarily for “Batman Begins,” but “Rescue Dawn” should bring him even greater acclaim.