Magnificent Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (17 June 2006)

I saw this movie as a child. And almost 20 years later, it's still my favorite. I was drawn to watch the movie because of the beautiful music and the stunning cinematography. But the movie goes even beyond that. It is a story about a young British boy who survives a brutal Japanese concentration camp through his innocence, energy and enthusiasm. For me, it wasn't a story about a war. It was about how an adversity will not destroy a strong human spirit. While everyone else is succumbing to the brutalities of WWII, the young boy never loses his purity and enthusiasm for life and people. He is trusting, loyal, optimistic and brave. And his Japanese counterpart (the young kamikaze) shows this as well. Two young boys become friends, even though they should be enemies because they do not know hate, greed and cynicism that people develop as they get older. The best thing about the movie was Christian Bale's acting - amazing what expressiveness such a young actor can have (he is also amazing in American Psycho and The Machinist). This movie is Spielberg's cinematic masterpiece.