The Killing Fields

Movie Review

Submitted by: Afshan Quela B. Liggayu

Submitted to: Ms. Connie Grace Carlos
 The Killing Fields (1984) UK
Directed by Roland Joffé
2h 22m
Reviewed by: Afshan Quela B. Liggayu (PNS)

The Killing Fields is a biographical drama film about the Khmer Rouge regime in
Cambodia. It was directed by Roland Joffé and is produced by David Puttnam with
Sam Waterston as Schanberg, Haing S. Ngor as Pran, Julian Sands as Jon
Swain, and John Malkovich as Al Rockoff. The story revolves around two
journalists Dith Pran and Sydney Schanberg and their experiences during the Khmer
Rouge regime. The Khmer Rouge (CPK) was the name given to a communist party in
Kampuchea which was then extended through 1975 and 1979 with Pol Pot as their
leader.
The film was an instant hit winning many awards. It received Seven Oscar
nominations, including The Best Picture award, Best cinematography, Best
adapted screenplay, Best production design, Best editing, Best sound, Five
Boston Society of Film Critics Award s, Eight BAFTAs, Best-supporting actor for
Haing S. Ngor as well as Best actor in leading role, Directors Guild of America
Award for Outstanding Director for Roland Joffé and many more. In 1999, it was
voted as one of the 100th greatest British film of the 20th century and in 2016 it was
ranked number 86 in Empire’s list of the 100 best British films. This movie is an R rated
movie and is only intended for mature audiences.

Plot Summary:
Sydney Schanberg is a New York times journalist who was sent to Cambodia
along with Al Rockoff and Jon Swain to report the tragedies of the war happening due to
US carpet bombing. Dith Pran is a local and is Sydney’s interpreter guide.
During their times together, they formed a bond, friendship along with Dith’s
Family solely due to them helping each other in dangerous situations, ones that can end
up killing them. When Sydney knew that the killings in the war was going to escalate, he
immediately secured a place for Dith and his family out of Cambodia but Dith insisting
he stays with Sydney to continue the report. In April 1975, a communist party named as
Khmer Rouge started to take over Cambodia. During this time Sydney and his
colleagues had left Cambodia but without Dith. Sydney and his colleagues tried to do
something for Pran and to be safe but to no avail.
The Khmer Rouge started killing western-friendly Cambodian journalists they
have captured. This is a big problem for Dith because this puts him in an even more
dangerous situation.
Sydney started a campaign to get Dith out of Cambodia. This lasted for four
years and a half without him knowing what Dith may have suffered in the power of The
Khmer Rouge.
He gets praised by the public and his colleagues for reporting about the war but he feels
guilty for Dith’s difficult situation. His campaign ends up being a mission due to his very
guilt.

Movie description:
The movie starts off as Dith Pran gets out of the car to go send a message to
Sydney that he will not be able to pick him up. Sydney now at the airport confused as to
why there is not a single person picking him up. He takes a taxi to his hotel. In His room
is Al Rockoff laying bed, with a headache. In this scene we see Sydney getting angry,
starts swearing because of his late plane and the fact that no one picked him at the
airport. He called someone on the phone to tell Dith to go at the Café Central.
In the Café Central we see Sydney and Al getting their food, talking until
suddenly there is an explosion. There was chaos. People were screaming and running
frantically, a man dead with his arms and legs amputated. Dith finally arrives and
approaches Sydney informing him allegedly that the US is going to bomb Cambodia.
Sydney reacts to the news as somewhat confused. He gets in to the chopper and we
see Major Reeves walking towards them asking where is he going. Sydney asks
Reeves to let him go to Neak Long saying that if he doesn’t let him go there, Reeves will
be breaking the Cooper/Church amendment but to Reeves disregarding it. Sydney asks
Reeves as to why his plane was delayed, implying that it was due to the rumor that The
US dropped a bomb in Neak Loeung but to Reeves replying that it was maybe due to
the weather. He asks how many were hurt; how many bombs are coming but to Reeves
giving no comment.
Sydney tries to bribe authorities in Cambodia to let him go down in Neak Loeung
but to no avail and is angry about the arrival of the global press corps with the United
States Army to report the story's sanitized version of the war. He goes back to his hotel
and goes to Bob. Bob tells him about the reason for why the US bombed Cambodia. He
said it was due to pilot error and computer malfunction; them messing up the
coordinates of the bomb. With an estimation of 55 militaries and 35 civilians dead. With
100 bombs coming up. Dith informs Sydney that they’ve secured a boat to go to Neak
Loeung for 150 dollars.
In the next scene we see the town of Neak Loeung. A busy town turned into
chaos. In this you’ll hear children screaming and people crying. Buildings completely
destroyed. They encounter a man who is crying saying that he needs help and wants
Sydney to take a picture of his wounded son. They then encounter a woman saying that
she needs help with her shop gone and her husband dead. Sydney encounters kids
with the other one kissing his face and hugging him. After that we see the Cambodian
army killing off two members of The Khmer Rouge saying that the two killed civilians
through putting gasoline infused cloth inside their mouths and set the cloth alight.
Sydney and Dith gets arrested for being in restricted area. He tells the authorities that
he is an American citizen and a journalist and demands that he leaves.
In the hotel, Dith wakes up Sydney telling him that his report made into the front
page. Dith then tells Sydney that his wife is worried that all American journalists may
leave Cambodia. And that if the war keeps going, the future will be bad. In the car they
encounter a young teen asking what kinds of car is he using in America. Upon arriving
to their Phnom Penh, we see war on going. Lots of gun firing, explosions, children
crying, dead bodies and people screaming.
 Fast forward two years in April, in anticipation of a capital invasion by the Khmer
Rouge, the international embassies are being evacuated. For Dith, his wife and their
four

kids, Sydney manages to secure evacuation documents. But Dith insists that he stays
with him to continue the coverage of the war.
On April 17, 1975, we see the Khmer Rouge seemingly below a flag of peace.
During the parade, Sydney was suspecting as to why the people are welcoming the
Khmer Rouge in a favorable manner, he then encounters Al who informs him he'd just
arrived from an area where severe combat took position. They go do the makeshift
hospital seeing the outcome of war with children and other people severely injured. A
small group of Khmer Rouge soldiers approaches them upon exiting the hospital with
Sydney, Al, Jon and his driver captured without Dith. Dith then pleaded them to let him
come with them, bribing them with his watch. They are then taken to a hidden courtyard
through the city where prisoners are held and executed. Because Dith is a Cambodian
Citizen, he is not executed. He then asks the Khmer Rouge to not kill his friends for
several hours before letting them go along with other refugees with some who are
severely injured. They stayed in the French Embassy Retreat, still staying in Phnom
Penh for several days, waiting for their chance to evacuate. During their stay in the
retreat, you’ll see the Khmer Rouge throwing the photo of Nixon down showing their
hate to the Americans. The group are talking to each other about a man named Hugh
Elder, a correspondent of BBC news in Thailand, wondering how they get all of the
information, suspecting that the man is disguised as part of the Khmer Rouge to get
information. The BBC news informs in the radio that the Khmer Rouge are demanding
that any officials of the defeated Lon Nol government especially the six traitors of the
cabinet and other Cambodian citizens be handed over to them. Fearing that the
embassy will be run over, they easily comply. Knowing that Dith will be executed,
Sydney, Al, and Jon tries to make a fake passport using Jon’s old one as Ankertill
Brewer. They try to find film for Dith’s picture but because of the low quality of the
picture they failed. With no other options, Dith is handed over to the Khmer Rouge and
is forced to live in a harsh environment. Before leaving, he asks Sydney to take care of
his wife and family. Then all the foreigners, including the French, American, and most
others, are expelled from Cambodia.
Sydney, now back in New York tries to make a campaign to locate Dith. He has
appealed to numerous humanitarian organizations and has maintained close contact
with the Dith’s Family in San Francisco. Reassuring them that Dith is indeed alive.
Sydney watching the television while thinking about Dith sees the speech of Pres. Nixon
on his plan to invade Cambodia, in the television you’ll see the reports on the dead
bodies.
In the next scene you’ll see Dith and other Cambodian citizens as they are forced
to work for the Khmer Rouge, excavating mud. They are given a very little amount of
food and is eating in the open rain. The Khmer Rouge saying that God is dead and that
a party named Angka will provide everything for them and that they discovered a
disease, a memory sickness diagnosed as thinking too much about life in pre-
revolutionary Cambodia. Where kids are taught to give their love and everything only to
Angka. They are starved, giving no chance of them growing out food. Dith hungry, tries
to drink the blood of the cows but was caught. He was beaten severely with a bamboo,
he pleaded and pleaded but they never stopped. He was tied around his back and was
starved. He was freed by the young teen who asked them about the Mercedes car.
While he was harvesting rice, he swam in the rice field water. He then arrives near
water but falls down in a small pit filled with decayed bodies filled with water.
Meanwhile, Sydney gets an A.I.F.P.C. award as the Journalist of the year where
he had a speech saying that if Dith was not there with him, he wouldn’t have gotten the
award. He goes to the bathroom where Al confronted him about letting Dith stay in
Cambodia just so he can win his award and with Sydney defending himself saying that
he did everything he can and already sent hundreds of his letters to every relief
organizations and that if he was allowed to go to Cambodia, he would.
Back in Cambodia, Dith is assigned to be the assistant of the leader of another
prison compound, Phat, with him taking care of Phat’s son. Dith tries to act like an
uneducated peasant around Phat despite Phat testing Dith with his French and English.
He was caught when Dith tried to listen to the American radio. Phat gradually starts to
believe Dith and asks him in case he is murdered to take care of his child.
The next scene shows the Khmer Rouge now engaged in war with Vietnam. The
conflict reaches Dith's region and a battle occurs the compound's Khmer Rouge and the
invading Vietnamese troops supported by two Vietnamese fighter jets to destroy the
camp. Dith discovers that Phat’s son has American money and a map to safety. Dith
escapes with Phat’s son along with three other men. The four of them split up in two’s.
They stayed beside a river with a tree until there was the Khmer Rouge almost near
them. They managed to hide in the bushes. While walking, the man with Dith carrying
Phat’s son stepped on a hidden bomb. The bomb exploded leaving the man and Phat’s
son dead. He made a burial for Phat’s son by burning. While walking, Dith finds a red
cross camp. Because of this, Sydney was finally informed on the location of Dith and
that he was alive. Sydney quickly informed Dith’s family about it.
` The two finally reunited after 4 years of struggles, with tears in their eye, the two
men hugged each other, Sydney asks Dith if he can be forgiven but Dith replies to him
saying that there was nothing to be forgiven about.
The movie ends with the Song “Imagine” by John Lennon
playing in the background while the real faces of the main characters are shown.

My Review:
The movie really did catch my attention; it was nothing like anything I’ve watched.
It really captured that feeling; the feeling of fear. It made me feel as if I’ve experienced
war even though I never really got to experience it. In this movie, I get to have a pass to
go to the past, the past where it was all chaos. Personally, I liked the acting of Sam
Waterston and his portrayal of Sydney Schanberg. I felt the stress and fear you can get
during war. Especially the part where Sydney was campaigning for Dith. I really felt that
guilt. The movie portrayed him as a very impatient person. He is a great reporter but still
lacks something. The cinematography of this movie really did bring out the emotions
you can feel. I really applaud Chris Menges for this. Also, I really liked the writing of the
story, I find the plot very expressive. Throughout the movie, I was crying, I could not
bear the sound of the children crying and people screaming. It really opened my eyes.
What if this still continued? I felt sad for the children who was part of this war. If this was
fiction I would have stopped feeling bad since is not real but since this movie was about
a real life story, I imagined the horrors that could happen during war. If I hadn’t watched
this movie, I would’ve thought that Cambodia was just a normal country, I never would
have known that Cambodia experienced something so brutal. Directing real life stories
can be hard, you really have to know what happened and how did it happen so Roland
Joffé really did a good job in directing it. The other cast like Julian Sands and John
Malkovich also did a good job in their roles especially Haing S. Ngor, his acting really
did capture my heart, its felt as if he was acting like he himself is Dith, I felt his sadness
fear and that unconditional love for his family. The friendship between Dith and Sydney
was a friendship that was unconditional. I really liked the ending where they hugged
each other, it felt heartwarming and pure. The set design was also good and very
convincing especially the part where Dith falls into a small pit filled with decayed bones.
Filming movies that are war related can be really difficult since there is a lot of
explosions, gun firing and so much more but this movie really handled it well. The
soundtrack is okay; I was often surprised when it starts playing through scenes but it
works well.
Overall, I really liked the message of the movie that no matter what happens
there is still hope so we have to be brave to be able to survive. This movie needs to be
watched by other for them to know what could happen if war occurs. Would 10/10
recommend for others to watch.