At the beginning of the year, Netflix released a well-received movie, "They Killed My Father First: Memoirs of a Cambodian Daughter " directed by Angelina Jolie , which brought the public's perspective back to the darkness of Cambodia 40 years ago. day. But we won't talk about that today. On a friend's recommendation, I watched a 1984 British film — Killing Fields — based on a true story, said to be the best movie about the Khmer Rouge.
Next, let's take a look at the movie.
In 1975, just before the end of the Vietnam War, American journalist Sinney decided to stay in Cambodia for interviews. In Cambodia, with the help of the Cambodian Pan Di, an assistant and translator, Sini has gone through hardships and saved many times. During this period, a deep friendship was formed with Pandey. The war was about to end, and the US military was gradually withdrawing. Pandey sent his family to the United States for refuge, and he chose to continue to accompany Xinni to stay in Cambodia for adventure. But as the Khmer Rouge invaded Phnom Penh, the situation gradually deteriorated, and they fled to the French embassy for refuge, waiting for rescue from Western countries. However, due to Pandi's Cambodian identity, Xinni was unable to take Pandi away, and the two have since separated. After returning to China, Xinni won a news award for his successful interview, while Pandi, who remained in Cambodia, was sent to a concentration camp and struggled to survive in the fear of massacre. After witnessing the brutal rule of the Khmer Rouge, Pandey began to flee all the way, and managed to enter the Red Cross camp on the Cambodia-Vietnam border. See, it's already 1979.
All good war movies are anti-war. The film perfectly fits the anti-war and civil rights era temperament, and does not place too many scenes in the war scenes and the suffering of the people, but focuses on the emotions and tragic colors of small people in the big era. Sinni is a Western journalist, but he is full of sympathy for the Cambodian people who were accidentally bombed by the US military, and is shameless and angry at the actions of the US military and military journalists who want to cover up the crime. This undoubtedly shortens the distance between the protagonist and the audience at the beginning of the film. This also sets the tone of the film - not concerned with politics, only concerned with the people.
As the plot unfolded, the people of Phnom Penh warmly welcomed the Khmer Rouge troops into the city, including the assistant Pan Di. But Sinney's experience and sensitivity to war made him very skeptical that the hooded army would be able to keep the country on track. Sure enough, misfortune happened quickly, and everyone was shocked by the wanton arrest and looting, including massacres, of the residents of the capital by Khmer Rouge soldiers.
Although relying on American passports to avoid arrest, the subsequent forced relocation of Phnom Penh gave viewers the privilege of witnessing the most famous "de-urbanization" of the twentieth century - millions of residents were asked not to carry property , migrated from cities to rural areas for labor.
Large numbers of people die unnaturally due to forced migration, overwork and malnutrition . And Sinney, who was hiding in the French embassy, realized he had to leave. They received Western refugees from all over the embassy, contacted the rescue of Western countries, and helped their friend Pandey forge an American passport.
The twists and turns of the passport forgery process, as well as the constant torrential rain in Phnom Penh, make everyone feel irritable - the danger is close at hand, and the terror is always present. This kind of little luck did not come to Pandy in the end. Due to the quality of the developing paper, the passport photo did not pass the test. As a result, he could not board the rescue truck, so he could only stay in the local area.
It is precisely because he stayed in the local area that Pandey's life became legendary. Pandy was recruited to work on the farm. On the farm, he tried his best to hide his identity. He could only catch lizards as meat, he could only cut the cowhide, and eat cow blood to supplement nutrition. The audience followed the director's camera and saw Pandy's caution in the concentration camp, the use of calluses in his palms to determine whether to meet the shooting quota, and the leaders of the organization who promised lies to identify traitors - even if they were only professors, doctors , craftsmen, etc. These scenes, which only exist in the narration of Pandi's real life, are extremely absurd, but they are proved by the dead bones afterwards, which are extremely true.
On the other hand, Sinney, who won an award in the United States, felt a deep sense of guilt under the questioning of the media and friends. Because Pandey didn't take the flight to the United States with his wife out of loyalty and friendship with Sini, but in the end, Sini left him in Cambodia. In front of his family, Sinney eventually broke down in tears.
Pandi, who was on the run, was rescued by a local Khmer Rouge high-ranking leader and became the nanny for the high-ranking leader's child. But he still hides his identity and his ability to understand foreign languages. Facing the leadership's suspicion, he was finally seen through by the leadership after he heard the foreign language broadcast of the Cambodia-Vietnam War.
But the leader told him earnestly that he hoped to take care of his children after the outbreak of the war-because the Khmer Rouge rule had betrayed almost everyone, and the leader himself could not protect himself. Here, the director only used a dialogue to show the contradictions within the Khmer Rouge. After the unexpected victory of the revolution, as the political struggle intensified, the high-level no longer believed in the masses and betrayed the revolution. The leadership was successively purged, and the rule could only be maintained by means of terror. will collapse suddenly. However, before it collapses, this organization will crush everything that is ruled as much as possible.
Shortly after the conversation, the leader died in the mutiny, and Pandey fled with his children and assistants. But assistants and children were killed by mines on the battlefield. In the end, Pandy, who was alone, saw the sign of the Red Cross on the top of the hill.
Eventually, Sinney arrived from the United States, where Pandy and Pandy hugged to the music of John Lennon's "Image" at the Red Cross camp.
"Killing Field" is an excellent historical drama film based on the legendary experience of Dith Pran himself. It does not focus on describing the brutality and bloodshed of the Khmer Rouge, but focuses on the experience of an ordinary Cambodian journalist and translator, and presents the suffering that the Khmer Rouge brought to the people in a real way to the audience, including but Not limited to Phnom Penh migration, forced labor, concentration camps and mass graves, etc. It uses a solid and steady narrative to whisper the disasters that have occurred in this human history. Compared with blood plasma and artillery fire, the joys and sorrows of small people are more touching.
When I wrote this, I wanted to talk about politics , but looking back, if a regime brings only rare disasters and painful memories to the people, then there is no need to discuss politics any more, right, left or right, right?
End the whole chapter with the lyrics from "Imagine".
Imagine all the people Living life in peace… You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one.
View more about The Killing Fields reviews
