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Empire of the Sun Details

1987

80
from 9239 members

Starring	Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, Nigel Havers
Director	Steven Spielberg
Genres	Action/Adventure, Drama

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Empire of the Sun

Steven Spielberg's 'Empire Of The Sun', based on the autobiographical novel by J.G. Ballard, stars Christian Bale as Jim Graham, a British schoolboy separated from his upper-class colonial parents when the Japanese sweep into Shanghai during World War II. Temporarily orphaned, Jim attaches himself to Basie (John Malkovich), a fast-talking American opportunist determined to make a buck off the spoils of war. Later, when the two are interned in a prison camp, Jim's boyish fantasies are fueled by the grace and daring of the Japanese fighter pilots whom he comes to idolise despite their enemy status. Spielberg's visually spectacular wartime epic is a testimony to the human will to survive and a child's ability to find wonder even in the midst of horror. Thirteen-year-old Welsh actor Christian Bale is brillant as Jim in his feature film debut. Spielberg himself identified more with Jim, a boy who is obsessed with flying and who experiences the death of his innocence, than with E.T.'s Elliott. After a year of negotiations with the Chinese, Spielberg and his crew were allowed to film in Shanghai, which was virtually unchanged since World War II.

Starring	Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, Nigel Havers, Joe Pantoliano, Leslie Phillips, Ben Stiller
Director	Steven Spielberg
Studio	WARNER HOME VIDEO
Run time	DVD: 2 hrs 26 mins Blu-ray: 2 hrs 26 mins
Certificate
Genres	Action/Adventure, Drama
Language	DVD: English Blu-ray: English
Hearing-impaired	English
Subtitles	DVD: French, Italian
Released	Production year: 1987 To Rent: DVD: 06 Mar 2006 Blu-ray: 02 Jul 2012

Empire of the Sun (1987)

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Steven Spielberg's 'Empire Of The Sun', based on the autobiographical novel by J.G. Ballard, stars Christian B...
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Steven Spielberg's 'Empire Of The Sun', based on the autobiographical novel by J.G. Ballard, stars Christian B...

Critic's review of Empire of the Sun
View all critics' reviews (5)
- Intelligent and thought-provoking movie about the loss of childhood innocence through the horrors of war. Bale, as the boy, gives an extraordinarily believable performance
- 39046
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:46
Most helpful member's review of Empire of the Sun
View all members' reviews (77)
- - 18
  - 3
  Stunning Performances
  
  An epic of the scale of Schindler's List, this film is a roller-coaster of emotion throughout, dealing with Japanese occupation in China during WWII. As ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 260792
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Hugo Hudson
  - London
  - 04 Jul 2006 at 19:12
Most recent members' reviews of Empire of the Sun
View all members' reviews (77)
- - 0
  - 2
  classic?? Not for me
  
  Enjoyed the first half of this film but then it seemed to tail off. Was really looking forward to it as I had read all the amazing reviews and had heard nothing... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1087420
- - scrabslad
  - 20 reviews
  - Hove
  - 31 Jan 2012 at 18:47
- - 0
  - 0
  Shanghai Jim
  
  Steven Spielberg et all deliver stunning performances in unique locations with cinematography and direction synonymous with the man himself. A toned down PG ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1085211
- - Solidarity
  - 36 reviews
  - London
  - 24 Jan 2012 at 21:26
- - 0
  - 0
  A MUST SEE
  
  I hadn't heard anything about this film before so I had no expectations. It was thought provoking and moving, and very sad.
  
  Report this review
- 1083572
- - Irishflojo
  - 20 reviews
  - Belfast
  - 19 Jan 2012 at 22:48
View all members' reviews (77)
News and features
View all
Steven Spielberg's Great Escapes
- 10 Jan 2012
"It's all about escapism." Steven Spielberg, discussing his trade, November 2011 In his 1982 documentary Room 666, Wim Wenders set up a camera in a hotel room in Cannes and invited his colleagues to come in, sit down and talk to the (unmanned) camera for five minutes about the future of cinema. There was no interviewer, no other prompt – it was entirely up to the filmmakers to speak their piece. Godard talked (brilliantly) about television and digital. Herzog took off his shoes and... Read more
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Rating breakdown

9,239 Member ratings

100	1,614
90	1,269
80	2,845
70	1,564
60	1,025
50	418
40	229
30	110
20	97
10	68

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- Empire of the Sun - Blu-ray
  
  Steven Spielberg's 'Empire Of The Sun', based on the autobiographical novel by J.G. Ballard, stars Christian Bale as Jim Graham, a British schoolboy separated from his upper-class colonial parents when the Japanese sweep into Shanghai during World War II. Temporarily orphaned, Jim attaches himself ...

- - Buy
- Empire of the Sun
  
  Steven Spielberg's 'Empire Of The Sun', based on the autobiographical novel by J.G. Ballard, stars Christian Bale as Jim Graham, a British schoolboy separated from his upper-class colonial parents when the Japanese sweep into Shanghai during World War II. Temporarily orphaned, Jim attaches himself ...