Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
MacArthur meets Hirohito in interesting historical drama.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Emperor
What's the Story?
In 1945, General Douglas MacArthur (Tommy Lee Jones) arrives in Tokyo to oversee Japan's surrender and help restore order to the country. He charges General Bonner Fellers (Matthew Fox) to round up and arrest any members of the Japanese government or military who were involved with starting the war. But more importantly, Feller must determine whether Emperor Hirohito (Takataro Kataoka) himself was directly involved. The U.S. government would like Hirohito as a prize, but his arrest could cause the country to fall into chaos. Moreover, Fellers has a conflict of interest, given that he once loved a Japanese girl, Aya (Eriko Hatsune), and now hopes to find her again.
Is It Any Good?
Arguably, EMPEROR misses a chance to dig deeper into some flawed characters and a volatile situation. It also takes questionable liberties by inventing an interracial love story for the main character. And, certainly, it would have been fun to see more of Jones' snappy supporting performance as MacArthur. Overall, the movie could have taken a cue from the similarly structured but much richer Lincoln.
Yet, as with his earlier Girl with a Pearl Earring, director Peter Webber takes a simple, classical approach that makes Emperor feel as if it could have been a movie from the period in which it takes place. The clean, uncluttered camera setups seem to influence the overall tone of the storytelling, editing, and performances, and the interesting details are easy to follow. For the most part, Webber's greatest moments of drama come from small things, such as tense meetings in rooms, and especially the final arrival of Hirohito himself.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Emperor's violence. What parts were the most upsetting/disturbing? Why do you think so many of the Japanese characters commit or threaten suicide?
Why does Fellers drink and smoke so much? Is it related to the high stress of his job? Did people know in 1945 what they know now about cigarettes?
Why did Fellers choose not to arrest Hirohito? Did he make the right decision?
Why would the filmmakers add a romantic subplot to this story? What happens when fact and fiction are mixed?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 8, 2013
- On DVD or streaming : August 13, 2013
- Cast : Eriko Hatsune , Matthew Fox , Tommy Lee Jones
- Director : Peter Webber
- Studios : Lionsgate , Roadside Attractions
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : History
- Run time : 98 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violent content, brief strong language and smoking (historical)
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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