Empire of the Sun
(1987)Steven Spielberg's adaptation of J.G. Ballard's autobiographical novel, with a young Christian Bale playing our spoiled young British hero, living with his rich family in pre-World War II Shanghai. When Japan invades, the boy is separated from his parents and his world is shattered.
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Best Cinematography, Score and Sound, BAFTA Awards 1989
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Directed by Steven Spielberg
Starring Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, Nigel Havers, Joe Pantoliano, Leslie Phillips, Ben Stiller, Ralph Seymour
Written by Tom Stoppard (based on the novel by J.G. Ballard)
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The Peoples' Reviews
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Empire of the Sun
The Press Reviews
83%
of critics recommend.
Rotten Tomatoes Score. More reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
It is up to young English thesp Bale to engage the viewer's interest, which he does superbly. Full Review
Spielberg includes a strand of populist heroism, yet even this fails to dent the awful message. And the budget makes itself seen, as does Bale's superlative Jim. Full Review
There are many glorious moments here. Full Review
The movie is always interesting from a narrative point of view. Spielberg is a good storyteller with a good tale to tell. But it never really adds up to anything. Full Review
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