Brilliant and touching!

Rating: 9/10 (18 July 2012)

Starting from the way the story is conveyed and the dialogue is written to the superb acting that is delivered throughout the movie, everything about Empire of the Sun is magnificent. It oozes a touch of Steven Spielberg though in a very down-to-earth manner, which gives the piece a unique and interesting quality while still having the element of Spielberg's excellent storytelling. The story itself, though occurring alongside real events in the World's history, doesn't focus on any particular event or their importance to the world but rather on their importance on the main character's life and on how each event impacts him and the lives of those around him. It's much more than just a movie about war, it's about a boy's journey through adolescence after suffering an enormous rupture with his comfortable and luxurious life, following his struggle to survive, to find his parents, to keep his dreams alive and his despair to stay connected to the people he encounters. The main character, Jamie, is certainly one of a kind, being a devious and peculiar boy while still managing to carry the innocence and naivety of the child he is, which makes us be interested in this person and in the transformation he undergoes. Certainly, such a complex and multifaceted character could potentially prevent the general public from relating to him or understanding him and yet I still found myself doing exactly that and enjoying every moment of the movie. Most definitely, part of that is owed to the exceptional performance given to us by Christian Bale, who truly made Jamie come to life by making the character and his quirks extremely believable. Little moments in which the extent of his commitment shows through make his acting brim on perfect. After all, even just small details make the difference (like the fact that after shouting on a rooftop with all the strength his lungs allowed him he then tries to speak but his voice is raspy and nearly failing). The fusion of Bale's acting with the character's power and depth and the fantastic way of how things were put together make us go enthusiastic in one second to suddenly feel our heart breaking in the next. Just like Jamie, I was left feeling both amazed and in awe as I stood at the edge of a metaphorical abyss and though I could tell why I had gone from laughing at his childishness to start sobbing in the next second I couldn't tell how such transition had been done so swiftly and quickly, being yet so natural.
In sum, an excellent piece which I would recommend to anyone who enjoys profound but entertaining movie.