Directed by:
Steven SpielbergScreenplay:
Tom StoppardCinematography:
Allen DaviauComposer:
John WilliamsCast:
Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, Nigel Havers, Joe Pantoliano, Leslie Phillips, Masayuki Ibu, Ben Stiller, Barrie Houghton, Burt Kwouk (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
A young British boy's noble spirit allows him to survive the hardships of a Japanese prison camp in China during World War II. (official distributor synopsis)
Videos (1)
Reviews (8)
Confirmed: This movie moves me every time. My fascination with airplanes (the "Cadillac of the skies" scene always gives me the chills, and the imaginary air battle in the crashed plane is absolutely perfect) is certainly responsible for the tremendous experience that Empire of the Sun gives me every time.... etc.), but the biggest contributors are still Spielberg's precision, Williams' score and Bale and Malkovich. Few films are as suited to the adjective "beautiful" as this one.
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An amazingly portrayed real story told from a child’s perspective, which is hurt a little by its excessive runtime and having too many endings. But every scene is so masterfully put together and each of those endings are so emotionally strong and semantically different (which is important), that there’s nothing to complain about. It should be swimming in Oscars, at least for he music and the cinematography.
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Steven Spielberg has a long list of titles to his name throughout his illustrious career, and these have etched themselves into film history and the hearts of film fans. There is certainly a group of films that are undoubtedly more prominently known and their reviews overflow with enthusiasm that surpasses Empire of the Sun. However, when I look at Spielberg's work with some distance, I dare to declare that Empire of the Sun stands out from his filmography with its maturity, restraint, and avoidance of emotional manipulation (he simply works with emotions in a more civil and less manipulative way, at least compared to the famous Schindler's List). He captures pivotal historical events through the life story of a young boy who never destroyed an enemy airplane nor fired any weapon. However, unlike others, he managed to overcome separation from his family and survive in adverse conditions. The film received only a lukewarm reception in the United States, and this time Spielberg did not live up to his reputation as a blockbuster producer and money factory. But a film enthusiast with an eye for visual storytelling and great cinematic narratives will surely enjoy the superb depiction of crowd scenes, aerial maneuvers in the clouds, and the atmosphere of the concentration camp. Overall, it is arguably Spielberg's best contribution to world cinema: 100%.
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Spielberg can tell these stories like no-one else (in this case, so well that I'm surprised he wasn't awarded the golden statuette) and in an incredible way he was able to capture the atmosphere of the Second World War from a perspective I've probably never seen before. Christian Bale had already shown with his first role that great things could be expected of him, and in twenty years he’s managed to prove it, as evidenced by his current roles. Plus, John Malkovich and Joe Pantoliano make an excellent duo, and when Ben Stiller showed up I couldn't believe my eyes. It's quite fun to watch older movies with actors who were new stars at the time.
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Steven Spielberg is not my favorite director and this movie didn't change that. I hadn't seen it before now. And I must appreciate how excellently they managed to capture the time period and setting. Spielberg has a gift for that, as well as for building a story. This time it's even darker than usual, but it still didn't captivate me. But Christian Bale already showcased his talents back then.
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