EMPIRE OF THE SUN gives you is a rousing premise, brilliant acting, a beautiful score, and gorgeous cinematography. It doesn't give you anything by way of blatant symbolism or explanation. Spielberg uses very little dialogue in his film. He leaves much to the music and visuals. Most of everything is left up to your interpretation. The film follows a young British boy, played by Christian Bale, through the years of WWII. He gradually loses his innocence, becoming exposed to the harsh realities of death and agony. The film is visually brilliant, with stunning cinematography. The score is John Williams's best (and that's saying a lot). And, Christian Bale gives a career-defining performance at age 13. He is the best thing about the film; his portrayal of a young victim of the pain of war gives the film a gritty feel. This film will make you think for a while afterwards. Parents: This isn't a particularly graphic film, but its harsh feel and mature themes make it unsuitable for anyone under 13 or 14. Little violence is actually shown, but the harsh realities of death in the camps are discussed and shown quite blatantly. One particularly heartwrenching scene features Bale trying to revive a young friend who has been shot, to no avail.
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Empire of the Sun
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Is it age appropriate?
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Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 14; suggested age 13. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Beautiful, but lacking WWII saga about a boy.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 13–14
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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What Parents Need to Know
About Empire of the Sun
Parents need to know that kids will see bombing, shooting, clubbing, looting, stealing, dead bodies and starving prisoners of war reduced to eating insects.
Read our full review by Scott G. Mignola
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about the young protagonist's perception of war before and after it touches him directly. Why does Jim glamorize the airplanes he sees flying overhead? How might he feel differently after fleeing bombs and tanks himself?
Our Members Say
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Poignant Tale of Survival...
- I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it
What you basically see here is Steven Spielberg making a terrible, mushy adaptation of a great novel, the autobiography of the author's childhood in WWII East Asia. Having never suffered in his whole life to the extent of the author, Spielberg falsely identifies himself with Jim, and mushes up the whole story, and also takes out some of the most unforgettable parts of the novel. Try to avoid it.
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
empire of the sun review by critic07
It was probaly one of the best films i have ever seen and if you like old war movies or Steven Speilberg, you will probaly love Empire Of The Sun.
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
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| 100% | of parents say it's too violent |
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