Empire of the Sun

An adaptation of the autobiographical book by J. G. Ballard was something I had been looking forward to for a long time. It has an interesting theme and a great cast (Christian Bale, Miranda Richardson, John Malkovich). Empire of the Sun may also remind us of The Lover by Marguerite Duras in its broad scope, but like other Spielberg retro films, I'm afraid it has become dated. This amounts to an interesting trip into the cinema of the 1980s. Young Bale was already incredibly talented back then, but for a deeper experience, you would need to see the film back then. (31/01/2020)

Steven Spielberg is not my favorite director and this movie didn't change that. I hadn't seen it before now. And I must appreciate how excellently they managed to capture the time period and setting. Spielberg has a gift for that, as well as for building a story. This time it's even darker than usual, but it still didn't captivate me. But Christian Bale already showcased his talents back then. (05/12/2015)

Spielberg can tell these stories like no-one else (in this case, so well that I'm surprised he wasn't awarded the golden statuette) and in an incredible way he was able to capture the atmosphere of the Second World War from a perspective I've probably never seen before. Christian Bale had already shown with his first role that great things could be expected of him, and in twenty years he’s managed to prove it, as evidenced by his current roles. Plus, John Malkovich and Joe Pantoliano make an excellent duo, and when Ben Stiller showed up I couldn't believe my eyes. It's quite fun to watch older movies with actors who were new stars at the time. (22/07/2008)

Confirmed: This movie moves me every time. My fascination with airplanes (the "Cadillac of the skies" scene always gives me the chills, and the imaginary air battle in the crashed plane is absolutely perfect) is certainly responsible for the tremendous experience that Empire of the Sun gives me every time.... etc.), but the biggest contributors are still Spielberg's precision, Williams' score and Bale and Malkovich. Few films are as suited to the adjective "beautiful" as this one. (14/03/2011)

Steven Spielberg has a long list of titles to his name throughout his illustrious career, and these have etched themselves into film history and the hearts of film fans. There is certainly a group of films that are undoubtedly more prominently known and their reviews overflow with enthusiasm that surpasses Empire of the Sun. However, when I look at Spielberg's work with some distance, I dare to declare that Empire of the Sun stands out from his filmography with its maturity, restraint, and avoidance of emotional manipulation (he simply works with emotions in a more civil and less manipulative way, at least compared to the famous Schindler's List). He captures pivotal historical events through the life story of a young boy who never destroyed an enemy airplane nor fired any weapon. However, unlike others, he managed to overcome separation from his family and survive in adverse conditions. The film received only a lukewarm reception in the United States, and this time Spielberg did not live up to his reputation as a blockbuster producer and money factory. But a film enthusiast with an eye for visual storytelling and great cinematic narratives will surely enjoy the superb depiction of crowd scenes, aerial maneuvers in the clouds, and the atmosphere of the concentration camp. Overall, it is arguably Spielberg's best contribution to world cinema: 100%. (01/10/2013)