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Empire of the Sun (1987) 7.7
Ratings:
7.7/10 from 59,388 users
Metascore: 60/100
Reviews: 268 user | 52 critic | 17 from Metacritic.com A young English boy struggles to survive under Japanese occupation during World War II. Director:Steven Spielberg |
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Title: Empire of the Sun (1987)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Christian Bale | ... | ||
| John Malkovich | ... | ||
| Miranda Richardson | ... |
Mrs. Victor
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| Nigel Havers | ... |
Dr. Rawlins
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| Joe Pantoliano | ... | ||
| Leslie Phillips | ... |
Maxton
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Masatô Ibu | ... |
Sgt. Nagata
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Emily Richard | ... |
Mary Graham, Jim's mother
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Rupert Frazer | ... |
John Graham, Jim's father
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Peter Gale | ... |
Mr. Victor
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Takatarô Kataoka | ... |
Kamikaze Boy Pilot
(as Takatoro Kataoka)
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| Ben Stiller | ... |
Dainty
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David Neidorf | ... |
Tiptree
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| Ralph Seymour | ... |
Cohen
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| Robert Stephens | ... |
Mr. Lockwood
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Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Based on J. G. Ballard's autobiographical novel, tells the story of a boy, James Graham, whose privileged life is upturned by the Japanese invasion of Shanghai, December 8, 1941. Separated from his parents, he is eventually captured, and taken to Soo Chow confinement camp, next to a captured Chinese airfield. Amidst the sickness and food shortages in the camp, Jim attempts to reconstruct his former life, all the while bringing spirit and dignity to those around him. Written by Jeff Hansen <jmh@umich.edu>
Taglines:
To survive in a world at war, he must find a strength greater than all the events that surround him.Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
25 December 1987 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
El imperio del sol See more »Box Office
Budget:
$38,000,000 (estimated)Gross:
$22,238,696 (USA)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
Narrator: [title card] In 1941 China and Japan had been in a state of undeclared war for four years. A Japanese army of occupation was in control of much of the countryside and many towns and cities. In Shanghai thousands of Westerners, protected by the diplomatic security of the International Settlement, continued to live as they had lived since the British came here in the 19th century and built in the image of their own country... built banking houses, hotels, offices, churches and homes ...
See more »
Performed by The Ambrosian Junior Choir
Arranged and conducted by John McCarthy
Soloist James Rainbird
See more »
Did You Know?
Goofs
Jim could not have witnessed the atomic bomb explosion in Japan with anything approaching the detail shown in the film. The distance from the Chinese mainland to Nagasaki, at its nearest point (roughly 475 miles), is further than the distance from the Trinity test site in New Mexico to Denver, Colorado (roughly 450 miles.) The distance from mainland China to Hiroshima is even further (roughly 640 miles.) Even allowing for no terrain obstacles, the curvature of the earth at such a distance precludes anything more than a brief dim glow on the horizon. See more »Quotes
[first lines]Narrator: [title card] In 1941 China and Japan had been in a state of undeclared war for four years. A Japanese army of occupation was in control of much of the countryside and many towns and cities. In Shanghai thousands of Westerners, protected by the diplomatic security of the International Settlement, continued to live as they had lived since the British came here in the 19th century and built in the image of their own country... built banking houses, hotels, offices, churches and homes ...
See more »
Soundtracks
"SUO GAN"Performed by The Ambrosian Junior Choir
Arranged and conducted by John McCarthy
Soloist James Rainbird
See more »
This is the first time I commented on a film. I saw this yesterday night for the first time. And I just cried.
I cried for Jim. I cried for the pain our country caused in the innocent civilians. (Japan can be so stupid!) I cried for the pilots of the Zero-sen.
I've read and seen lots of movies of these pilots. They're called tokoutai in Japanese. They get on their planes knowing they will die. It's a suicide mission, and they were very proud of it. I know if you're on the winning side you may not sympathize these pilots, but they were just fighting for their country. In those days, the emperor was everything. They taught you to die for the emperor at school when you were only in 1st grade.
But I don't know the war. I've never experienced it. I can't understand the concept of dying for your emperor. So I sympathise with Jim. Jim is a symbol. A symbol of innocence, of the horrors of war. His singing proves that too. He's also the ray of light for these prisoners. His energy and vitality are important aspects. It brings out some human characteristics in the sergent as well.
Christian Bale was remarkable. He should be commemorated or something for this performance, cause it was just brilliant. So was John Malcovich.
Overall it was great. One of the best movies I ever saw. It made me think, a lot. About war, about Japan, about history, and about humans in general.