Truly thought provoking!

Rating: 9/10 (17 May 2011)

I cannot fathom why so many hated this in their reviews, however I feel that it maybe they just wasn't interested enough to understand or patience. It starts out as a upper class British family with a spoilt single child in this big home in Shanghai. The story is about this child who bullied his Chinese servants to do his deeds for them when all they wanted was to teach him good (don't know how this could be contrived to be racist or calling Chinese stupid as other reviewers suggest). All he wanted to do was to fly. Now some people got confused about his fascination with Japanese planes but they need to understand that he was born in China he never saw another airplane so he didn't know any better in fact he never been outside of China as i understand the story.
There was a clear example of this when a former Chinese servant woman gave what that young boy truly deserved a good 'ol fashion smack.... many people said he was obnoxious and he was early but then he had to quickly change his ways just to survive. This movie shows that no one is winners in war and just how hard it would have been for a child to survive.
The madness of war was creeping in and the emotions of each character was all there to be seen and it didn't treat the audience like idiots (perhaps it should have treated them simple as for some people just don't get his love for Zeros) If I could get my kids to watch it and really see it for what it is, perhaps they might learn something.
I didn't see racism and I saw the good and the bad of all humans .... it was sad to see these fine young Japanese flyers go on their last flight for country.
BTW what was it about so many asked???.... SURVIVAL!