Review for The Killing Fields

Rating: Null/10 (27 September 2011)

The Cambodian genocide that took place during the rule of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge in the late 1970's is considered to be one of the worst genocides in modern world history. The film, The Killing Fields, takes its name of those who have died due to disease, starvation, and violence upon innocent civilians from the restrictive policies of the Khmer Rouge, numbering from 1.8 to 2.3 million, in which the land of Cambodia became their corpses. The Killing Fields is an important and eye-opening portrayal of a significant period of world history in Asia. The film is based on the true stories of New York Times journalist Sydney Schanberg, and Cambodian journalist, Dith Pran. Both undergo the events of the genocide themselves throughout this historic film.
The director of this movie does not hold back in showing the events leading to the genocide, which started in 1973 with an accidental bombing of a town by American planes that killed hundreds. Along towards the end of the film, Sydney is in New York, trying to find any sign of Pran's whereabouts, for he was recently enslaved in a forced labor camp under Khmer Rogue rule. If the film had focused entirely on presenting the historical events, the film would be too overwhelmingly depressing to view. It shouldn't be viewed as a historical drama but as a reminder that such atrocities exist and still happens in our world today. By simply ignoring them, those atrocities will never go away.
Despite the horror of this inhumanity, this movie is not widely taught or discussed within schools in America. As an Emerson student, it is profoundly important to know of this historical tragedy because the characters in this event have risked their lives to use the art of media to communicate what is going on in the country of Cambodia. It was a duty to themselves that they were proud to accomplish. Many people aren't aware of such events in the world unless it is being passed on through the arts such as movies like this, or even through mass media such as newspapers, radio, TV news, etc. As a student, it is our duties to spread the word of what goes on in this world as a message because every little matter that happens to one community can have the powerful, domino affect to impact everyone else.