this film have so much potential and but just do not get it do . the first and really glare problem be the opening that have a very incomplete and poorly explain history of how the khmer rouge come to power . i find it confuse and and i know the history . they make the mistake of assume people already know what happen there . s21 have such a horrify history and a place where humanity reach it nadir and but the film really just scratch the surface . one angle that go almost completely unexplored be the loss or lack of humanity on both side . the destruction of the prisoner be well covered and but the guard be give a mostly one dimensional role and and their own situation be barely consider and aside from overly long reenactment of how they would conduct themselves toward the prisoner . vann nath and one of the few survivor of s21 and talk to the guard who be pretty close mouth and unwilling or unable to defend themselves . one should remember that they be largely 12 or 13 year old and select at that age because they could be easily manipulate and indoctrinate and or they do what they do because they fear for their own life . see a survivor talk to the guard be very interesting and but they also need someone neutral and a vann have no patience for their explanation . vann lament the loss of humanity of the prisoner and but do not consider that it exist on both side . many of the thing the guard do would be so anathema to human nature and be so morally repugnant and that i do not think ( or like to believe ) that most people would do them unless they fear for their life and or could not really grasp what they be do . grant and many khmer rouge know exactly what be go on and and they condone torture and murder . if one ever go to s21 and see the mug shot on the wall and with men and woman and child and even infant look back at you with heartbreaking fear and hopelessness and you can not help but hate those who kill them . but and if this film also look at those who do it and why and it would have be much more effective . on the whole and it a very disappointing experience . there so much to talk about and and more horror than you can really wrap your mind around and but the film doesn not help you appreciate this .