Review of the movie “The Killing Fields”

The British movie “The Killing Fields” written by Bruce Robinson and direct by Roland Joffe was shot in 1984 in Cambodia. The main point of the movie was to show what took place in that country along the 70’s since the neighbor Vietnam gave start to a war, which surely impacted the Cambodian borders.

The story starts in the year of 1973, when the American journalist Sidney Schanberg (Sam Waterston) arrives at the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. Schanberg meets his guide and interpreter, the Cambodian journalist Dith Pran (Haing S. Ngor). The capital is invaded by the communist party Khmer Rouge. Schanberg is able to provide the evacuation of Pran’s family to the U.S. Pran, however, insists on remaining on the country in order to help Schanberg capturing the truth of what was going on over there, in contrast to the made-up versions the International media provided to the world. Upon being capture by the Khmer rouge and later on released, Pran, Schanberg, and other non-Cambodian citizens seek for shelter at the French Embassy. The KR, though, requests the Cambodian citizens to be kept under their power. Pran tries unsuccessfully to flee the country with a fake British Passport, as his picture fades away. He is, then, handed to the KR and starts living under a tyrannical slave regime.

Schanberg goes back to New York City, where he is awarded by his reporting on the Cambodian conflict. He also contacts several humanitarian groups to help him with his movement to find Pran. He is even accused of being responsible for making Pran stay in Cambodia so he could gain recognition. Pran, on the other hand, becomes a slave for the KR at the rice fields. He tries escaping but he is captured. Later on, he is helped by a man called Phat, who he works for and takes care of his son. Pran, together with other four people, try to escape. Eventually, after being split away from the others, he sees a Red Cross Camp across the mountains. In the U.S, Pran’s family is informed that he is alive. Schanberg goes back to Cambodia after four years and ends the story reencountering his friend Pran.

Along the story, it is evident that the journalists have more status and more voice and resources than the majority of the Cambodian citizens. This is what happens between Pran and Schanberg. Serving as a guide and interpreter, Pran seems to see a better future following and helping Schanberg. Although both are journalists, there is a hierarchy where the American one looks more respectable and also the one who take the major decisions. This becomes clear when Pran becomes unable to flee the country due to his ethnicity and especially during his hard time of humiliation on the rice fields. He uses, though, his intelligence and knowledge to escape that area.

Personally, the production really catches the attention when showing scenes like the dead bodies along the river, or even the inclusion of children as soldiers of the KR. It is an interesting movie because it talks about a real part of history. Moreover, it exposes the cruel regime which the citizens of that nation were submitted to, as well as an important part of world history, such as the consequences of the War in Vietnam. It also shows the role of the U.S government regarding to how the media was meant to publicize information about the war in Southeast Asia.

Yet, the movie sets a curious connection with the development of international media. This is supported by the fact that many of the true incidents were either modified or omitted. The result was that, truly, what was being said on the news has been manipulated by the media. This becomes clear when Schanberg watches President Nixon on national TV, talking about Cambodia and showing images of a violent country, where people are brutally killed. In reality, Schanberg knew that nation was more and better than that, he has witnessed a Cambodia that did not match the one shown on the media. Nonetheless, I would recommend the movie for those who would like to see the conflicts in Asia from another angle.