Review of The Killing Fields (1984) by Anna B — 25 Apr 2015

A very powerful and scary film. It's surreal how the journalists go about their business while surrounded by a war zone. The coffee shop scene definitely stands out in an explosive way. The movie speaks volumes about how Americans saw the world back then and how we take our freedom and peace for granted.

The journalists seem to be there only as journalists. They seem indifferent to everything besides getting a perfect picture. They act so carefree it gives you the idea that nothing bad will happen to them, and nothing does happen to them.

Instead the movie brilliantly follows Dith. It isn't about Americans in a war torn country, it's about the people who live there. Dith is such a polite and helpful guy it's really heartbreaking to see what he goes through.

In most survival movies the struggles get to you because you imagine yourself in the survivors situation, but in The Killing Fields you care for the character because you see him as a real person and not just someone to identify with.

It isn't an easy movie to sit through, but it's a very rewarding experience. The movie succeeds because it draws on your compassion and not just your instincts of self-preservation.