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Empire of the Sun
- Review Date: August 23, 2005
- PG
- Genre: Drama
- 1987
Common Sense Media says
Beautiful but grim WWII saga through a boy's eyes.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this war movie is grim, emotional, and violent. Expect scenes of bombing, shooting, clubbing, looting, stealing, dead bodies, and starving prisoners of war reduced to eating insects. But the film also contains some uplifting messages about helping others and the triumph of humanity over suffering. Some WWII-era racial insults.
What's the story?
Sheltered by a life of privilege, young Jim (Christian Bale) is more fascinated than threatened by the planes that drift high above his family's Shanghai manor. That life falls to pieces, however, at the outbreak of World War II when, fleeing tanks and gunfire, he becomes separated from his parents and has to fend for himself. A Japanese POW camp teaches him the meaning of want. In this new world framed by barbed wire, Jim -- who has a better view of fighter planes now than he ever dreamed possible -- finds a father figure of sorts in Basie (John Malkovich), an American prisoner who turns him into a contraband runner, giving the boy a purpose that both threatens his survival and gives him a reason to go on living.
Is it any good?
EMPIRE OF THE SUN is a war story that wants desperately to have a heart. Unfortunately, the humanity is lost among too-slick Hollywood theatrics, melodrama, and an overblown score that implores us to feel what the movie ultimately fails to deliver. About a quarter of the way through watching Steven Spielberg's first serious war drama, one starts to feel that something's missing. It's like trying to make sense of a four-hour movie that's been randomly edited down to two-and-a-half. The cinematography is beautiful, the storytelling is compelling, but nothing really clicks.
Like the young hero in John Boorman's much better Hope and Glory, Jim finds a certain exhilaration in war, and even has moments of fun with it. These moments far outweigh the gravity of his situation, though, and rob the movie of vitality. Spielberg hit the bull's-eye a few years later with the horrifyingly realistic Schindler's List, and again with Saving Private Ryan. But in 1987 he either wasn't a mature enough director to unveil the true horrors of war, or he was simply too protective of his feel-good audience.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the young protagonist's perception of war before and after it touches him directly. What are your perceptions of current war and political strife?
What messages does the movie express about materialism?
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Kid, 12 years old
March 22, 2009
AGE
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.
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AGE
Poignant Tale of Survival...
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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AGE
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.
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| Topics: | history |
| Studio: | Warner Home Video |
| Director: | Steven Spielberg |
| Cast: | Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 153 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 9, 1987 |
| DVD release date: | June 3, 2003 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | Violence, Mature themes |
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