Incredible portrayal of friendship, one man's struggle to survive, and an apocalyptic vision of hell on Earth.

Rating: 10/10 (10 July 2001)

**** out of ****
After nearly 20 years The Killing Fields still remains one of the most powerful films ever made, a brilliant piece of moviemaking that leaves a searing imprint in the mind long after viewing it. This is not a film to be taken lightly, but a serious examination of the horrors of war and individual conflicts and struggles, and for that it is on par with Steven Spielberg's work on Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List, certainly a noteworthy comparison.
The film opens in 1973, with the Vietnam War coming to an end. But the horror is far from over. The Khmer Rouge, a radical political group, are slowly taking over war-torn Cambodia. The film's first 2/3's chronicles the journeys and friendships of two journalists, Sydney Schanberg (Sam Waterston) and Dith Pran (Haing S. Ngor), as well as photographer Al Rockoff (John Malkovich) and another photographer, a British man named Jon Swain (Julian Sands).
The American Embassy makes the crucial decision to evacuate but Schanberg refuses to leave, and his partner Pran, out of a sense of loyalty, also willingly stays behind while his family is evacuated. But trouble ensues, and Pran is eventually forced to remain in Cambodia and must struggle to survive re-education camps and the Killing Fields.
Of all the films to involve the Vietnam War (technically, though, the focus of this is on Cambodia), The Killing Fields ranks above them all. It is even more harrowing than Oliver Stone's Platoon, more realistic than Apocalypse Now and Full Metal jacket, and more intensely personal than The Deer Hunter. This film remains something of a forgotten relic, losing the Best Picture award of 1984 to the undeserving Amadeus, but The Killing Field's importance and impact have remained, and perhaps by today's standards, has an even more terrifying imprint.
Perfectly directed, this easily remains director Roland Joffe's best work to date (and he'll probably never surpass it). It's something of a tragedy to see him take a step backward with every film he has gone on to make (The Mission, the disastrous The Scarlet Letter). But his work on this film is still by far one of the most impressive I've seen in this genre. He captures the insanity of the time period, the political confusion, the chaos, and the downright terrors of war; doing all of this not from a soldier's point of view, but from civilians, most particularly Dith Pran.
The war-torn chaos featured in the first hour-and-a-half give way to an intense struggle for survival in the last hour. The focus is on Dith Pran and the tortures he goes through. It is here that the film takes an apocalyptic look and stance, and the sight of hundreds of dead bodies in a long, single ditch remains one of the most horrifying and shocking sights ever put on film.
Suspenseful is a way to describe the film, yet it is far more nail-biting than the usual Hollywood-churned thriller. It's impressive how director Joffe creates so much tension from so many situations. From the beginning when we see the evacuation to the point where the journalists try to fake a passport to keep Pran in the embassy; all these moments are simply heart-pounding.
Those scenes seem almost obligatory in comparison to the last 1/3, which focuses on Pran almost entirely. Every scene in these last 50 mintues, I was left constantly praying and hoping he'd make it out and I literally gripped my seat every moment, wondering whether he'd be discovered or whether he'd be able to escape. The film is so riveting not only because of Joffe's direction, but also because of the individual characters whom we grow to not only care for, but also feel like we're in the same situation with. Haing Ngor carries the load as Dith Pran, and comes through magnificently. Having faced the actual terrors of war in Cambodia, Ngor is brilliantly effective, and he easily delivered what must have been the best performance of the 80's.

Sam Waterston is almost as good as Sydney Schanberg, Pran's close friend who feels guilty for having let Pran stay behind during the evacuation. It is his drive to get the news down that places Pran in danger, and though we're aware of this, there's never a moment when we aren't touched by Waterston's torn feelings. This is his best performance to date.
The supporting cast is also very good, most notably John Malkovich as the photographer who seems a little odd at first, but is pretty much the average guy who also sympathizes for Pran's plight (and, as a result, ends up arguing with Schanberg). Julian Sands is also effective as the photographer whose life as well as Schanberg's and Rockoff's, was saved by Pran and he tries his best to return the favor.
The Killing Fields, while certainly a bloody violent film and almost always depresses the hell out of you, is ultimately more inspirational than anything else. This may be a flinching, no-holds barred experience, but it is one that must be seen. This is truly an unforgettable film, and one of my personal favorites.