Empire of the Sun

Rating: 5/10 (10 June 2016)

There are only a few films perhaps less well remembered in the career of director Steven Spielberg (Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan), this is one of those films, many critics see this film as a trial run for Schindler's List, I just knew it was set during the war, had a good cast and an average rating. Basically set during World War II, at the time of Japan's invasion of China, twelve-year-old British upper middle class schoolboy Jamie "Jim" Graham (young Christian Bale) enjoys a privileged and spoiled life in the Shanghai International Settlement. After the Attack on Pearl Harbor the Japanese invade the settlement, and Jim ends up separated from his mother (Emily Richard) and father (Rupert Frazer), through the panicked mob his parents shout that they will come back for him, Jim spends time hiding in his abandoned home and eats the remaining food. When food runs out Jim ventures out into the city, which has been devastated by bombings, he is taken in by American hustling partners Basie (John Malkovich) and Frank Demarest (Joe Pantoliano), but they are taken by the Lunghua Civilian Assembly Center in Shanghai for processing. In 1945, nearing the end of the Pacific War, Jim survives through terror and poor living conditions, establishing a successful trading network, camp leader Sergeant Nagata (Masatô Ibu) gets involved with it, and Dr. Rawlins (Nigel Havers), the camp's British doctor, teaches Jim, he learns how to speak Japanese. Jim visits the American POW barracks, he idolises the Americans and their culture, Basie sends him to set snare traps outside the camp's wire, in fact Basie is using him to test the area for land mines, to plot an escape, Basie rewards Jim by allowing him to move into the American barracks. As time has passed Jim has forgotten what his parents look like, the base is suddenly attacked by a group of American P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft, as a result the Japanese decide to evacuate the camp, Basie, despite promising to take Jim with him, escapes during the confusion, many of the prisoners die of fatigue, starvation and disease during the march into the wilderness. Jim arrives with the crowd at a football stadium near Nantao, filled with confiscated luxuries, Jim wanders off and overhears the news that the Japanese have surrendered and the war is over, after witnessing a Japanese teenager he met before being killed, Basie finds him and offers to find his parents. Jim is highly traumatised by everything he has gone through, and angered by the accidental death of his friend, but he is placed by Americans in an orphanage, here he is finally reunited with his parents in the end. Also starring Miranda Richardson as Mrs. Victor, Leslie Phillips as Maxton, Peter Gale as Mr. Victor, Robert Stephens as Mr. Lockwood, Burt Kwouk as Mr. Chen, Paul McGann as Lieutenant Price and Ben Stiller as Dainty. Bale does give a good performance as the boy separated from his parents and doing whatever he can to survive, the presence of stars such as Malkovich, Richardson and Havers are fine as well, the story is based on a semi- autobiographical novel by JG Ballard, but I agree with critics, being from the point of view of the boy this is perhaps a superficial look at life during war and occupation, there are some good sequences that engage you, but overall it is just an alright Second World War coming-of-age drama. It was nominated the Oscar was Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction- Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, Best Music for John Williams, it won the BAFTAs for Best Cinematography, Best Score and Best Sound, and it was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design and Best Production Design, and it was nominated the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Original Score. Worth watching!