The Killing Fields 1984

Vincent Canby, New York Times: The movie is diffuse and wandering. It's someone telling a long, interesting story who can't get to the point. Read more

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader: The screen is swamped by a bathetic, self-preening sententiousness. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The best moments are the human ones, the conversations, the exchanges of trust, the waiting around, the sudden fear, the quick bursts of violence, the desperation. Read more

Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine: It must be nerve-racking for the producers to offer a tale so lacking in standard melodramatic satisfactions. But the result is worth it, for this is the clearest film statement yet on how the nature of heroism has changed in this totalitarian century. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: The film's overall thrust -- angry, intelligent, compassionate -- makes this producer Puttnam's finest movie to date. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: The intent and outward trappings are all impressively in place, but at its heart there's something missing. Read more