wijajo-72563
I loved the cinematography and following the young girl makes for an interesting take on a genocide movie. Unfortunately, with that, comes a lack of depth as the girl doesn't always understand what's going on. For this reason, we do not see the full atrocities of Khmer Rouge or understand why they did things. So, I prefer the Killing Fields. Still, it was visually great and provided a fresh take on a genocide that many are still not fully aware of. The child acting was also top-notch, amazing since there were so many child actors!
greenheart
What a beautiful, haunting, horrific movie. You actually don't see too much violence, but you know it's there.
The central performance by the young girl is frighteningly good. She doesn't scream, she doesn't shout and yet her eyes tell a thousand stories.
a Netflix original, I was absolutely glued to the screen.
Horrific subject matter but a story that has to be told.
dbradley-64894
That child, those children. Other reviewers talk of the beautiful cinematography of the movie, I agree. It was stunning at times. Some lament the lack of grit, or shock factor. I've been to The Killing Fields. I've seen the pits, listened to the propaganda recordings blared over loudspeakers. I've seen the skeletons still rising from the ground. I'm a well-traveled man, and seen my fair share of tragedy. Listening to the story of how children were executed by the KR was one of the most heart-rending moments of my life. In my opinion, Angelina Jolie has told as much truth as the average Western audience could bear. The scene where the father was executed was exactly as I was told by Cambodians. Jolie knows the truth, and has to be commended for pushing the envelope while not crossing the line where the movie would be rated for adult viewing. We Westerners will never see a screen depiction of the horrors of that genocide. Way too traumatic for our sensitivities. And all the way through the movie I wondered where the international community was when this was going on. It was left to the Vietnamese to save these children, these poor people. We in the West turned our backs. Just as we are turning our backs in Syria today. And that is the skill of Jolie, she has produced a movie talking to the politics of today. A word about the actress who played the part of Loung - excellent. The burning hut scene was painful to watch, the birth scene brought a joyous smile. These were but two moments of many where her wee face told us of the human condition. The final scene where the family are gathered, some could construe it as being mawkish. I saw it as a tribute to the parents ( also superbly acted ). I've said enough. I commend and recommend this movie.
Motherspot
Wow! What a beautiful movie. Jolie totally succeeds in telling this story about suffering humanity in the hands of an insane doctrine. Just about everything is well thought out and directed. The characters are deep and come over as very real. Special credits for the main protagonist, the little girl who acts so convincing and absolutely succeeds in touching our hearts. Camera work is great...And the story is told in the language of the land it plays in. How different is this war story then her work in 'The land of blood & honey'..which was terrible. This film is brought to us in a warm & touching manner...while not emphasizing too much on the brutal murders and killings that where abundant in that period of Cambodian history...I'ts a great story of suffering & survival being told in an utterly convincing way! Chapeau for Angelina's work on this Film.
AD
