First They Killed My Father (2017)
Genre: Drama / History
Duration: 136 minuten
Alternative titles: First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers / មុនដំបូងខ្មែរក្រហមសម្លាប់ប៉ារបស់ខ្ញុំ
Country:
Cambodia / United States
Directed by: Angelina Jolie
Stars: Sareum Srey Moch, Phoeung Kompheak and Sveng Socheata
IMDb score:
7,2 (21.301)
Releasedate: 18 February 2017
First They Killed My Father plot
A fearless portrayal of the Khmer Rouge regime of terror and genocide from the perspective of a five-year-old survivor separated from her family in 1975. Cambodian Loung Ung lives in Phnom Penh, and is one of seven children of a government dignitary. When Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge storms into Phnom Penh, her father threatens to be executed immediately. The family therefore immediately fled the city. They go from village to village, trying to keep their identities hidden. In the end, the family members split up in order to survive, leaving young Loung Ung on his own...
Reviews & comments
Shadowed
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- 10184 messages
- 6094 votes
Well.
The fact that Jolie was directing made me not have too high expectations. Jolie seems like a typical person who likes to film heavy stories to boost her image, but it never really feels "real". Well, let's give it a chance before I make statements like that.
However, I don't think I'm going to renounce my statement for the time being, because in the end I didn't think Jolie added too much in terms of directing. Most of the work is clearly done by the soundtrack and camera use, which are okay.
However, the film itself was a bit too empty. There is little dialogue, and while the chaos may be quite mysterious as seen by a child, there could sometimes be a little more detail about what is happening. The tearjerker scenes can also be left out, so that the film does not miss its target.
Acting is quite impressive. Good choice to let the actors speak their own language instead of making a pro-American mess. It makes it all a bit more real. It is a pity that the film also throws in quite a few typical American "lessons" in a foreign language.
And then, and that may sound a bit cruel, but I felt little threat. The first hour was exciting and unpredictable, but I didn't find much memorable in terms of real horrors. It does have its moments, but overall it's still pretty tame.
The best thing about the film is the use of the camera, which makes the snail's pace of the film itself a bit more watchable. The film has a slightly too slow pace, so that the real threat of the situation is not felt, while I think that was a very intense and exciting period.
Interesting subject, but this film just doesn't quite have it.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Fisico (moderator films)
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- 10009 messages
- 5398 votes
Soon the better-known The Killing Fields (1984) about the genocide under the rule of the Khmer Rouge will follow. But this new one by Angelina Jolie is also a pretty strong portrait about one of the darkest pages of the 20th century. Another war story by Angelina Jolie as director in which horror, reality and quality go hand in hand. After Yugoslavia and the Japanese torture camps during WWII, this time the communist Cambodia is examined. A subject that may be close to her heart with one of her adoptive sons who comes from Cambodia.
The plot is told through the eyes of little Loung Ung, who has to flee her home to be put to work in a labor camp. The images speak for themselves, although extreme or explicit images are not discussed. Not in terms of torture or hardship, anyway. I assume it was actually much worse. The indoctrination under the guise of "brothers and sisters" was confrontational.
Everything else is very nicely presented. Very realistic and authentic. Here and there also a bit of the style of terrence Malick when some (close-up) images of nature passed in review. Repetitive at times and scenes that are similar, but when told from the point of view of a five-year-old, I think this is correct. Heartbreaking... Big 3.5*!
Translated from Dutch · View original
mjk87 (moderator films)
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- 13991 messages
- 4252 votes
I read here very often that the film is distant. At first I thought: how is that possible with such a subject? But yes, distant. Probably because the story is seen through the eyes of a child. Especially in the long middle part, that takes its revenge, making it slow and ultimately boring. The film does have a good start, gives a good picture of that period and what it did to people and visually also beautiful with a somewhat ocher-like filter. In terms of direction, there are some nice ideas and sometimes beautiful shots (with that standing in the water from above) but in the end the film barely touched me and (partly because of that) takes too long. 2.5*.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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