Review of First They Killed My Father (2017) by Phil F — 23 Oct 2017
Jolie does a great job as Director - this is a very competently and thoughtfully told film, shot beautifully and acted fairly convincingly throughout. Jolie definitely hits the emotional beats here and manages to convey something of the pointless tragedy and waste of the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror in Cambodia (known at the time as 'Democratic Kampuchea'). Comparatively speaking, what happened in Cambodia 1975-79 under the Khmer Rouge ranks as the 20th century's worst atrocity.
Where the film falls short is in context and background. Jolie makes no real effort to tell the audience who the Khmer Rouge were (real name: The Communist Party of Kampuchea) or why they were doing what they were doing. I appreciate that in a sense that wasn't the focus of the film (this is a child's-eye view of unfolding events, after all), but where would the harm have been in a couple of context-setting paragraphs at the start of the film?
Overall, though, a very impressive film. Jolie is a fine director and this film is a testament to that. She has a great eye for small details and lingering shots that say so much more than dialogue ever could.
This review of First They Killed My Father (2017) was written by Phil F on 23 Oct 2017.
First They Killed My Father has generally received positive reviews.
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