its second act really is the biggest offender here, its sooo big to the point where i feel like nothing is happening. i mean there is but its third act is soooo much better.
what makes this ultimately good tho is its lead performance and the fact that on the surface, this kid seems priviliged because of his racist parents and people around him but its deeper then that, his life makes him think japanese people are beneath him until his maiden slaps him.
he doesn't know any better and in its third act, spielberg creates a mirror between bale's character and a japanese soldiers who looks like a kid.
where bale's character is nurtured into being oblivious, allot of other kids are send to war but neither of them really can escape.
both sides get lost in blood.it also is just better then allot of war films because it doesn't wastes its time with hundreds of characters we don't and never will know and sets its focus on one character.
really that second act bogs it down so much.
Empire of the Sun
To survive in a world at war, he must find a strength greater than all the events that surround him.
Rating
Release Date
12/9/1987Runtime
153 minsOverview
Jamie Graham, a privileged English boy, is living in Shanghai when the Japanese invade and force all foreigners into prison camps. Jamie is captured with an American sailor, who looks out for him while they are in the camp together. Even though he is separated from his parents and in a hostile environment, Jamie maintains his dignity and youthful spirit, providing a beacon of hope for the others held captive with him.
Status
ReleasedOriginal Language
EnglishBudget
$35,000,000Revenue
$66,700,000Homepage
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How It Feels
Read from this film's synopsis, keywords and credits, and used to work out what it sits beside.
A sweeping, visually sumptuous portrait of childhood fractured by war, following a privileged boy's transformation through internment and separation. Spielberg's film balances the horror of displacement with moments of wonder and dark humour, creating an intimate epic.
Mood
Themes
Tone
Pacing
Look
Structure
Heads up
Reviews
Usually a 2.5+ hour war drama from the 80's wouldn't be my cup of tea, but somehow this is an exception.
It's a little hard to follow. Things seem to happen out of nowhere or without enough context clues to always be clear. It's interesting that it's semi-autobraphical but Jamie seems to be just super annoying. Most people don't write themselves as super annoying, right? Either way, it holds my attention for it's long runtime, and tiny Christian Bale is pretty darn good.
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