Empire of the Sun
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- Trailer 1 (01:40)
Movie Info & Cast
Synopsis
A teenage English boy struggles to survive with his fellow captives under Japanese occupation of China during World War II.
Cast
- Christian Bale
- John Malkovich
- Miranda Richardson
- Nigel Havers
- Joe Pantoliano
- Leslie Phillips
- Masatô Ibu
- Emily Richard
- Rupert Frazer
- Ben Stiller
Letterboxd User Reviews
3.9
201.7K
58.4K
46.2K
- Jan 18, 2015
Young Christan Bale looks exactly like old Christian Bale and it's freaking me out.
Sean GilmanOct 1, 2023Kind of feels like the exact middle ground between overly whimsical and sentimental Spielberg, and "director of Schindler's List" Spielberg. He's getting to the point where he can effectively direct a powerful drama, just give him time.
James (Schaffrillas)Sep 30, 2012Wow, Batman was tiny. It's freaky just looking at him.
Silent J - Mar 1, 2015
Christian Bale has been carrying movies since the age of 13.
Cavy van WykDec 7, 2021There’s an odd strain of whimsy in the second part of this (which is set in a prison camp, of all places) that doesn’t really match the brutality of the first half, or the story as a whole. The sequences before that in Shanghai prior to the war, and then Jamie wandering…
Matt SingerMar 18, 2025"HELP ME I'M BRITISH!!"
Marshall 🌲 - Jun 14, 2015
For a story that brims with such a strong passion for flying, it's a shame that Empire of the Sun doesn't even manage to take off over the course of its runtime. Quite a slog to sit through, this coming-of-age war drama is completely devoid of the director's usual flair,…
cinemacl🎃wnFeb 12, 2019One of Spielberg’s greatest contributions to cinema was giving us Christian Bale.
Matt The SnapperDec 14, 2016Even when Christian Bale was 13 he looked like a perpetual 40 year old man.
Egg Wooderson
Queue Community Reviews
92%
Community 3,722
Top Reviews
- Carolina Cavaco lovedEmpire of the Sun
At first I was a bit skeptical but I loved how Spielberg portrayed the war from a child's eye while also perfectly showing the impact the Japanese invasion had on China and its population!
Charlie Meagher lovedEmpire of the SunPhenomenal movie. Made me think about what my life could’ve been like if I was 13 years old in 1941. Child innocence really is something you don’t appreciate till it’s gone.
Marcus Thornton lovedEmpire of the SunSpielberg shows us this terrible conflict through the eyes of a little boy, and it’s heartbreaking, inspiring, and gut-wrenching. This film is definitely worth a watch.
- Michael Harkins likedEmpire of the Sun
Under-appreciated film. It’s so cool to see such an untold front of WW2 played out through the eyes of an innocent child
maximus likedEmpire of the SunEmpire of the Sun has been, and continues to be, one of the best epic tales, to this day. Everyone, from John Malkovich, Christian bale, and Spielberg, are all very experienced, and it shows. Everything is done with great purpose and great responsibility, to history and film.
Luci Bevis lovedEmpire of the Sunamazing. Loved seeing the boys character develop. His innocence and trusting of adults in the need of survival shows his need 4 hope and dependence without it he has no chance of survival ;the sad reality of how young the protagonist is and what he is yet to experience.
- 13 likedEmpire of the Sun
bale was perfect casting as the spoiled yet resilient jamie. his character development from snotty rich kid to resilient survivor was really compelling. it can be a bit slow-paced for some but I found it absorbing the whole way
brain_ likedEmpire of the Sun4/5 intriguing? captivating? whatever it was, it was that the whole time. christian bales performance was fantastic. thanks youtube movies
LukeJD likedEmpire of the Sun20 minutes too long and unfocused tonally at times, but young Christian Bale gave my new favorite child performance ever in a film
Atom Users Reviews
Metacritic
The pseudomystical vagueness that seems to be Spielberg's stock-in-trade stifles most of the particularity of the source.
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
Empire of the Sun adds up to a promising idea, a carefully observed production and some interesting performances.
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Empire of the Sun (1987)?
The movie is 2hr 33min long.
What's Empire of the Sun (1987) about?
A teenage English boy struggles to survive with his fellow captives under Japanese occupation of China during World War II.
Who's the cast of Empire of the Sun (1987)?
- Christian Bale as Jim "Jamie" Graham
- John Malkovich as Basie
- Miranda Richardson as Mrs. Victor
- Nigel Havers as Dr. Rawlins
- Joe Pantoliano as Frank Demarest
- Leslie Phillips as Maxton
- Masatô Ibu as Sgt. Nagata
- Emily Richard as Mary Graham
- Rupert Frazer as John Graham
- Ben Stiller as Dainty
Who's the director behind Empire of the Sun (1987)?
Steven Spielberg directed Empire of the Sun (1987).
Who produced Empire of the Sun (1987)?
Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall produced Empire of the Sun (1987).
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