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Empire Of The Sun on DVD (1987)

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Average rating: 76%
111116102068
4.0
from 2,498 members
 
Starring: Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, Nigel Havers, Joe Pantoliano, Leslie Phillips, Ben Stiller
Director: Steven Spielberg
Studio: WARNER HOME VIDEO
Run time: 146 mins
Certificate: PG
User collections: The Greatest War Films, My Favourite Films, Before They Were Famous, An eclectic list of goodies in alphabetical order, movies to watch before you die..., Young Starters, GIVE THEM A SECOND CHANCE!, The world's most prolific stuntman, Vic Armstrong, MOVIES TO MOVE THE HEART AND SOOTH YOUR SOUL., The movies you must see before you die
Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama
Languages: English
Hearing-impaired: English
Subtitles: French, Italian
Released: 06/03/2006

Brief synopsis of 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 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.

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 3 stars out of 5 Radio Times

Now considered a trial run for the more moving, horrifying and involving Schindler's List, Steven Spielberg's drama, set in China during the Second World War, is a glossy and rather tame affair, based on JG Ballard's semi-autobiographical novel. Christian Bale plays 11-year-old Jim, who is separated from his family in Shanghai and ends up in a Japanese internment camp. As you'd expect from Spielberg, the film has its fair share of heroic moments and scenes that depict the horror of war through the eyes of a child, but, despite the presence of such talents as John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson and stiff-upper-lip Brit Nigel Havers, this only scratches the surface and never really conveys the true effects of armed conflict.

Rating of 3 
	  stars out of 4 Halliwell's Film Guide

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

Time Out

JG Ballard's autobiographical novel, about his experiences in the WWII Japanese concentration camps in China, is a mild... Read more on www.timeout.com

See all 6 Critics Reviews »

Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 5 starsA Must See

Matthew Flanagan from Huddersfield, England , 27/11/2006

This Semi-autobiographical story is sure to have viewers of all ages gripped.

Joy, Sadness, Shock and Humour are all portrayed beautifully by a young Christian Bale in this Steven Spielberg classic.

Set in China in the 1940s, 'Empire of the Sun' tells the story of the japanese Invasion and the subsequent imprisoning of Ex-pats from many nations.

We follow Jim (Bale) a young boy and see how he grows up in the concentration camps, a far cry from his pre-war days of wealthy family life

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsfascinating story about the chinese-japanese war

A customer from Didcot Oxfordshire. , 10/07/2007

This story has so many threads to it. It's about a boy who got separated from his parents and was taken to a Japanese prisoner of war camp along with an American friend who he immediately looked up to.

He starts somewhat of a friendship with a Japanese boy who shared his love of airplanes.

A good story exploring the less well explored parts of the human experience.

Very little violence.

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsStunning Performances

Hugo Hudson from London , 04/07/2006

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 only Spielberg can do, it both makes you cry and at times makes you laugh out loud. All the characters are exceptional, you'll come to love them all, though I think none so much as Jim, played in a the most astonishingly believable manner by a very young Christian Bale. An absolute must-watch, this is one of my favourite films.

  2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!!!!

A customer from Reading, England , 14/07/2006

THis film is definately well worth watching and is very enjoyable. GO RENT IT!

  2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 5 starsfascinating story about the chinese-japanese war

A customer from Didcot Oxfordshire. , 10/07/2007

This story has so many threads to it. It's about a boy who got separated from his parents and was taken to a Japanese prisoner of war camp along with an American friend who he immediately looked up to.

He starts somewhat of a friendship with a Japanese boy who shared his love of airplanes.

A good story exploring the less well explored parts of the human experience.

Very little violence.

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Report offending content.

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Rated - 5 starsA Must See

Matthew Flanagan from Huddersfield, England , 27/11/2006

This Semi-autobiographical story is sure to have viewers of all ages gripped.

Joy, Sadness, Shock and Humour are all portrayed beautifully by a young Christian Bale in this Steven Spielberg classic.

Set in China in the 1940s, 'Empire of the Sun' tells the story of the japanese Invasion and the subsequent imprisoning of Ex-pats from many nations.

We follow Jim (Bale) a young boy and see how he grows up in the concentration camps, a far cry from his pre-war days of wealthy family life

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Report offending content.

Read all highest rated reviews