EMPIRE OF THE SUN Movie | Analysis | Review | Recommend 

No longer free on RU-vid, but it's worth the rental price to watch it, at least. Otherwise, it's on HBO Max.

Thank you. I thought I was alone in thinking this must be the most under-rated films of all time. When people ask me what my favourite film is, there is no hesitation in saying "Empire of the Sun". I have often reflected on Christian Bale's performance and thought it worthy of an Oscar. Once again, thank you for doing this critique and I agree with every thing you mentioned.

The same year Spielberg kade this masterpiece about a childhood destroyed in WWII, on the other side of the Iron Curtain, in the USSR, director Elim Klim made a mocie called "Come And See". It has many common element with "Empire Of The Sun" but it depicts was situations snd the drama in a more documentary fashion, the film being practically 100% filmed with a steadycam. Its also a more brutal film, with the violence being more in your face. Yet for all their differences, thevmovues have in common the theme of a destroyed childhood because of adult madness and stupidity. Spielberg sure got to know that movie as he later incorporated a filmic stylization created by Come And See into his later Saving Private Ryan, the deafning effect of a close-by explosion that creates an sbsence/mufflingbof sound mixed with a highpitched sustained ringing sound simulating tintinus cause by inner ear trauma. Both are great movies made by great filmmakers at the height of their artistic powers.

I viewed Empire of the Sun when it opened at theaters in 1987.. As you said, it was not the expected kind of war film, but it was great for all the reasons you mentioned in your excellent review. I enjoyed watching it again recently. Favorite scenes include the Cadillac of the Sky, and also how Jim finally breaks down and tells the doctor he can’t remember what his parents look like. The final scene of the movie, with the beautiful music, when his mother recognizes him, Jim’s facial expression and his eyes, finally find peace. Those two powerful scenes are incredible. Also liked how Jim learned enough Japanese language and culture to save the doctors life when he was being beaten by Sgt Nagata. On the DVD chapter 18 Did you catch the scene on the truck when they are being transported to the main internment camp, Basie is doing a magic trick with a coin, and responds to the doctor that yes, he was American, but “was working underground for the Kuomintang”(ie Chinese government). The doctor responds; “as what, as a conjurer?” (ie magician). Basie gives him that grinning look, acknowledging that the doctor didn’t believe him. Not sure what the book says about Basie, but appears Basie was only an opportunist, and not secretly working for anyone but himself. I agree, one of Spielberg’s greatest movies, and it deserves more accolades than it got.

So glad I found your channel! I agree with you 100%. There isn’t a wasted line or shot in the entire movie. Every moment moves the story forward and gives us a deeper understanding of the characters. Spielberg’s eye for detail blows my mind. We get to see the famous WWII bouncing bombs on the Japanese tarmac during the bombing scene. He’s showing us things we’ve never seen or get to experience. We will never see movies made like this ever again.

A guilty pleasure of mine watching this movie from time to time. Best childhood actor performance ever IMHO.

Seriously, thank you for this. I can't count the times I've mentioned this movie to someone, in hopes of a shared experience, and received only blank stares in return. I was beginning to think I only imagined seeing it.

I am loving your commentary about this film, one of my favorites. I totally agree with everything you're saying. This definitely Spielberg's masterpiece. Kudos to John Williams' fantastic score. "P51!!! Cadillac of the Sky!!!!'

Empire of the Sun was my second introduction to Christian Bale, as I watched Henry V first.

The finest film Stephen Spielberg ever made. “I thought it was Mrs Victor’s soul going up to heaven…..” Screenplay by TOM STOPPARD- who is a master in his own right. It’s great to see somebody other than me being excited by this monumental achievement. Well done, you!

I was lucky enough to find it on dvd at a pawn shop. It must be rare on physical media.

It's Spielbergy! You might want to see what you could call a companion film to Empire, John Rabe, the story of a Nazi who tried to save his Chinese employees from the invading Japanese. Well worth a watch. Suo Gân is a Welsh folk song featured in Empire Of The Sun.

This film was amazing when I first saw it back in 2009 when Christian Bale was starting to be noticed as a way better actor the his Co Star Johnny Depp in Public Enemies & ofcourse right after The Dark Knight, I love this film especially the theme song & John Malcivich & Bale's acting & this was also the beginning of the "Rick Roll" on RU-vid & Call Of Duty & right before my first love ......this brings so many personal memories & this is always the film that takes me back to that time period even though it's a far older movie it was special to me at that time period I saw it in & Bale became a household name shortly afterwards & started winning Oscars & nominations!!!!!

Candy- Kids who experience war don’t know which troops to trust/not trust; They know by the candy/food they introduce to them. The us littered Korea with candy; tootsie rolls, smarties etc. No nutritional value; Woman lost her teeth fulfilling her dreams, Moving to the US and eating our candy. Strong metaphor-think pedophiles/child predators. Her toddler brothers could be bribed for exactly x-amount of candy, Then they were done. I’d prefer food to be the focal point of war movies; I loved the planes, but, I’m not a plane, train car, truck person, I care about food. I wrote some papers on women in the Holocaust surviving, by talking about food. Starvation create a manic state Recipe sharing, Stories Of family meals fulfilled them emotionally.

I was fortunate enough to go to the UK crew showing, as my fathers company provided specialist camera equipment for the film. I have loved this film ever since. Keep trying to get other "reactors" to see the film, but have yet to convince them....@Popcorninbed

One of my absolute favorites

Agreed great movie , 🎥🍿 another one people don't talk about that was great was white squall

Well said.

Used to come on HBO all the time back in the day. Watched it many times.

Saw this when I was a kid. I think it struck a cord deep inside me specifically because of the aircraft scenes... not just the flying but when Christian walks up to the Japanese Zero and is touching it... and then the pilots come out.... he salutes and they salute back... at that moment, it wasn't about who is on who's side, or the war... it was just about flying. And that has always stayed with me... a small thin bridge across cultures that they could all appreciate, and love. Considering Spielberg's background and the other movies he makes afterward, it's a testament to the human condition, allowing us to see it without the taint of war (ironic since it's in the middle of war)... i'm not sure i'm explaining it thoroughly, but it's always been more of a humanities movie than a war movie to me. Always loved it. It's in my top 10 of all time.

Agreed, this movie was fantastic. Cool sidenote, that I noticed being a longtime fan of aviation. The Mustang pilot that flew by him and waved, was none other than Bob Hoover. A (now deceased) highly decorated WWII pilot that flew missions in the pacific theater.

I am very happy to see that someone appreciates this movie as much as I do, Steven Spielberg is one of those names that made me appreciate cinema, my Mom taught me this movie at the age of 12, at the end I cried with happiness, for me EVERYTHING in she is PERFECT, the setting, the coordination of the actors and the extras, John Williams was very inspired composing for this movie, every time I hear that Japanese lullaby I cry, at the end of the movie I cry with happiness, here Spielberg peaked , he showed great signs of maturity as a director before Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan which of course are tremendous movies in their own right, I've been a fan of Christian Bale ever since I saw this movie, my Mom is glad to have watched him grow up as actor, she and I are the same, if Christian is in a movie you have to see it, he almost never disappoints.

I remember very well when the movie was first released in '86 I think. The critics went to town on it. Spielberg declared on its release that it was his first grown up movie. He was breaking from the popcorn blockbuster and moving into personal passion projects. This seemed to irritate the critics and it was through this lens they judged the movie. They essentially dismissed the movie because they refused to believe Spielberg had in him the ability and vision to be a grown up director. And as we all know Empire of the Sun indeed demonstrated to anyone with 2 brain cells that Spielberg could indeed make a grown up movie. So we had a situation whereupon not only could Spielberg do popcorn but he could make magic with adult themes. And he was in his late 30s so it meant nothing could stop him in his tracks. So unfortunately Empire of the Sun became a casualty Spielberg had to endure in order to leave behind his youthful like filmmaking and make the move into adult films. And yes this is a dreadful injustice because the critics dissuaded the public away from this magnificent cinematic experience. And by any reckoning across all cinema in the last 50 years Empire of the Sun is contender for one of the best. You may notice there are numerous nods to David Lean in the movie also. And Spielberg made this movie as a love letter to Lean because at this time Lean was an old man and had not long to live and one views this tremendous movie in the understanding that Spielberg is thanking Lean for him becoming a movie director by making something of such beauty and power it is telling Lean he will never be forgotten for his service to the movies. Spielberg is turning the magic of movies into a humanizing force for good all the while facing into all the reasons why bother. And Lean is there behind Spielberg driving him on to put image to film strip and send out a prayer for peace for mankind and a message of hope for one day we will be free from pain and hurt and live in eternal love and friendship. Every time I watch Empire of the Sun, over the decades, every single time the scene at the end when Jim finally reunites with his folks packs such emotional power it truly is gut wrenching movie making magic and full of redemptive power washing over the audience. Incredible Stephen Spielberg.

I'm so glad you mentioned the Welsh lullaby (Christian Bale is Welsh), and along with Jim's rooftop ecstasy scene, you showed us Jim caressing the Zero fighter just before three Japanese pilots salute him, almost as peers. But, I'd thought I'd mention Jim's Latin grammar repetition, _“Amatus sum, amatus es, amatus est,"_ which is usually a tedious exercise forced upon private school children acquiring an entirely different meaning after the rooftop scene, since the Latin phrases, almost like a religious litany mean, "I am loved, you are loved, he/she is loved."

My all time my favorite film. I've watched it countless times. Such a treat to see John Malkovich and Joe Pantoliano, and a very young Ben Stiller, as well as Spielbergian nods to Norman Rockwell and a gallows humor that informs his later work in _Schindler's List._ Spielberg's often omitted, _The Color Purple_ from his repertoire of blockbusters falls under the same category of forgotten masterpiece as _Empire of the Sun._

Empire of the Sun is a masterpiece and it demonstrated how Spielberg was always able to translate what his mind visualized to the screen. There's one scene in particular that I've never forgotten. I believe it takes place as a bright orange sun is getting in the far sky and Japanese mechanics are working on fighters with welding torches. You see the bright sparks flying off the aircraft. The image and its framing is superb. Another great scene is where, in slow motion, a P51 Mustang flies by Jaime and the pilot waves at him. There are so many more visually perfect scenes in addition to these.

I love this movie. A great coming of age story set in a part of WW2 that is largely ignored/forgotten. We hear so much about the horrible internment camps for Japanese people in the US. But, I assume that it is mind-blowing for most of the audience to learn that the Japanese had "reciprocal" prison camps for white expats.

The reason why Steven's war movies in Europe are more well known and appreciated by audiences is because the war in Asia, aside from the US conflict with Japan, is known as the forgotten war. It's not well known, the events of Japan in China are not well understood, America hasn't re-told itself this story like it has the conflict in Europe and the North Pacific, not to mention there are far fewer Americans who participated in this regional conflict, so for the Hollywood / American-centric audience there's much less connection to a lost British kid in China.

I loved this when I was a kid. All the scenes you spoke about are right on. I got pretty tearful when the Japanese boy couldn't fly the plane and when he got shot. Good job!

its an amazing film with so many amazing actors, John Malkovich, Ben Stiller, Joey Pants, and young Bruce Wayne. Yes the score is so beautiful, cadillac of the skies brings me to tears.

This is in my top 10. My parents took my sister and i to see this in the theaters when it first came out. The scene where Jamie is separated from his parents scared me more than another movie scene i have ever scene. In short i loved it and have since read the book and gleefully await the day when i can watch it with my kids.

Bale became a great actor by the time he was 13... here I am at 24, trying to write a book with the hope that people find the story that I write a bit interesting. God help me. Great recommend as as always

Him trying to resuscitate the slain Japanese boy always gets to me. Especially when he sees himself.

I saw this in 1987. I had no idea what it was about going in. But this is one of my top 10 movies of all time. Just brilliant.

Great review of a great movie. The Tom Stoppard screenplay is what I believe makes this film work so beautifully. He had done Brazil two years previously before Empire of the Sun and afterwards wrote The Russia House, Billy Bathgate and Shakespeare in Love, so was always offering up something thought provoking. As for the critics of the day not really giving this a chance, my theory is this: Spielberg comes out of Raiders, ET and The Colour Purple onto 'THIS'? The pompous, preening, purile pricks saw TOO MUCH OF THEMSELVES in the Bale character and decided they didn't like it! A sign of the times, I believe. I would so love to see a new film now created by the likes of Spielberg, Stoppard and Williams together. It feels like it's a bygone era now, though. And sadly we descend into a tiktokian (copyright me, lol) nightmare of movie making just concentrating on the next scene making us forget the last one cos this one so cool, innit...

Christian Bale is underrated in this movie especially this is his first big budget movie. Please review the Prestige another underrated masterpiece.

I remember watching this movie as a kid and was also a huge fan of fighter jets so Jamie's fascination was immediately identifiable. When he gets the salute from the Japanese pilots that was an amazing feel-good moment that they were respecting and acknowledging him and his admiration. The death was horrifying, especially when he tried reviving his young friend and blood starts pouring from his former friend's mouth. As an adult I still love watching the movie once in a while because it is Spielberg magic, for sure, although as one movie reviewer does note it is a bit saccharine in how often it tries to tug on the heartstrings. Spielberg has a Disney-esque rule to his movies but in this movie it feels a bit much, as does John Williams's score always being employed as a tool to bring out those emotions in the viewers. But the movie is absolutely superb, the atmosphere is tense with worry and people at the edge of breaking and Jamie's earnest hyperactivity sets them all off but is probably his own way of coping with all the trauma he's been through by keeping his mind on every interesting thing in the present, even keeping a record of the number of Weevils in his food. The Cadillac scene is also the first time he cries in the movie, at a moment when he has stability, food, a paternal figure in his life and suddenly this amazing experience with planes and an actual Mustang pilot, it's the first time he's been happy in a long time and maybe he realizes just how much he's been through since he was last in such a moment where he felt stability and the presence of parents and the joy of being a kid.

Easily my favorite film of all time. I’m 57 years old now and even though I’ve watched it countless times since it came out there are scenes in this movie that still just resonate so emotionally with me, the scene in the hangar with the Zero and the pilots particularly.

Excellent review. Thanks for reminding me of this criminally underrated movie.

I saw this on opening day at the original Cine Capri. The cinematographer was Allen Daviau. Who also shot E.T., and Amblin, the short film that got Spielberg his first job, and for which his company is named.

Based on a novel by J.G. Ballard. Hard to believe. Ballard was the scifi author of the "New Wave" who later turned to the avant garde, writing such novels as "Crash" and "The Atrocity Exhibition." Very controversial and very graphic works. Ballard had a major influence on the early industrial music and countercultural art scenes. And you're right: it's an excellent, excellent movie. One of my favorites.

I just watched this movie two weeks ago and I’m still thinking about it. Christian Bale was phenomenal and I think it was pretty obvious that he was going to go places.

Based on a true story by JG Ballard… A phenomenal book, but the film is equal to the book, if not better. I used to show this to my students in my college composition class, and they loved it.

Love this film! Have watched many times. Each time I realize something new about the character.

Not forgotten, watched again last weekend. One of my favourites, I’m 57.

Such a good story....One of my favorite movies!!!

I love this movie! It is fresh every time I watch it. I introduced one of my best friends to it last year and he informed me that its now his favorite film. A true masterpiece

I watched it when it first came out. It deserves to be ignored. Not a very good war movie - mostly a schmaltzy saccharine Spielberg style plot that insults the audience. There are 4 Spielberg films I like and audiences like many others, but this one is forgettable.

I’ve been to Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai, one thing that struck me is the continued level of anger, mainly in the older crowd, for the Japanese. One of the projects was in Hong Kong and took place overlooking the harbor, and there were still gun emplacements there. Not only that, they’re protected archeology, you’re not allowed to remove them, they don’t want to forget. The other thing that struck me was how’ well, as an American, I was welcomed and taken care of. I got to spend a couple months there, in those cities, and adore it. It’s too bad the human politics has managed to turn it into a different place and turn them against each other. Another funny one of not letting go, I’m in a pub in London, barkeep can tell I’m American, and asks where my family came to America from. I said Scotland, Greece, Italy and Germany. He looks at me and says “Germany, huh, you know thru bombed us”. Sorry man, my family came in the 1700’s, a bit before that.

Wow!! GREAT video on one of my all time favorites!! You touched on every single stand-out moment/thing that I love and appreciate about this movie, AND several more that I, having watched it many, many times, had not noticed before. This is such an important movie, about a significant time in history, that doesn’t get the attention it should. Understandably, the European theater in WWII, garners a great deal of coverage. But the Pacific theater was equally as important, but perhaps for political (or some other reason) reasons, it has been somewhat overshadowed. Maybe that’s part of the reason why this movie was not as big as it most definitely should have been. But, it should be considered one of Spielberg’s top movies!! Everything about it is amazing. I could (and have) watch it again, and again. The attention to detail is unbelievable. Your take on this movie, and the quality of your video, is absolutely fantastic. Looking forward to more! Keep up the good work!

Thank you for speaking from the heart. I am rediscovering this gem of a movie. Thank you very much.

Just FYI, the jacket Jim is wearing is an AVG jacket, the American volunteer group who flew against Japan in China (aka the Flying Tigers). It has what is called the "Blood Chit" on it: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_chit It's one of the prisoner's jackets, not one of the Japanese pilots'.

From the age of ten, Spielberg was the most influential filmmaker in the world to me. I saw Empire of the Sun when it was first released in cinemas when I was 16. I studied this film (and "the making of" documentary) for days, months, and years later. I must have seen both over 200 times-- no kidding. I listened to the soundtrack on the bus ride to school and back. I was very disappointed in how the film was received by audiences and critics. This was before CGI, so all of those people in the crowd scenes were real. Huge undertaking and choreography. That kind of work ain't easy, folks. Christian Bale's performance was outstanding. The National Board of Review awarded this film Best Picture of the Year (1987) and the Board created a special award for Christian Bale for Best Performance by a Juvenile (1987).

P FIFTY OOOOONNNNEEEE CADILLAC OF THE SKYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

I love the scene early on when his father comments that their family happens to be luckier than others. Such subtle arrogance.

His has been my favorite film since I first saw it when it came out. Still is. Most people have never heard about it. So thank you for giving it some of the exposure it deserves. Casablanca is a close second.

This is in my top 10 movies of all time. I saw it when it came out, and I was the same age as the protagonist. It impacted me then andstill impacts me now. I awlays thought that the use of Suo Gan in that Japanese foghter scene is one of the best uses ever of a song in a movie.

I've heard Suo Gân before it was popularized by "Empire of the Sun" in 1987. When it was included on the original motion picture soundtrack, John Williams added his magical flair and made it soulful. I've watched Empire of the Sun countless times as I considered it one of Steven Spielberg's World War II film masterpieces along with Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. When my father passed away in 2011, I used "Suo Gân" as the musical background on his funeral video as we moved his casket from the church to the hearse after the requiem mass was concluded.

I watched it for the first time a couple weeks ago and I've become obsessed with it. One of my new favorite movies. Can't believe I've never seen it before. I am working on getting my mom and wife to see it. I will watch it over and over.

I have watched this film many times over the years. I'm glad you are helping other people find it. The score is one of the best, and is still an emotional experience. I recommend you looking into two other masterpieces. "The Mission" with a young Deniro and score by Enya; and "The Straight Story" a David Lynch film. Think you might appreciate them 👍

The jacket Jim wears for the second half of the film was not that of one of the Japanese pilots. It was an American pilot's jacket bearing what was called the 'blood chit'; a message to any Allied Chinese who find the pilot (if he crashed or bailed out) that they would receive a reward for the pilot's safe return to American forces. To me, it symbolizes Jim's transference of loyalties from the Japanese, whom he initially idolized but are now losing the war, to the Americans. (Basie's survival instincts in action; follow the ones who are winning). Just as he loses interest in the Japanese Zero-sen fighter and becomes enamored of the American P-51 Mustang. I don't know where Jim got the jacket; either from a dead American pilot who was shot down, or from an American P.O.W. he was interned with, and who later died.

I saw this film, I think, at the Seattle International Film Festival. I remember being surprised to see a Spielberg film at the Festival. It blew me away how amazing Christian Bale was and that this kid was carrying such a complex film. I haven't seen it since it came out so I wasn't aware of the repeated references throughout. I'll have to watch it again closely. It isn't easy to find movies that can stand up to repeated viewing and deliver new perspectives with each viewing. Thank you for bringing this film to my attention. I had forgotten how beautiful it was.

the flowers of war (2011) another christian bale wwii flim thats ^^ john rabe (2009) another wwii thats underrated the pianist (2002), ...

Saw this movie when I was young on my brother's Laser Disk. Still one of the most gripping World War II movies I've ever seen. I'm always surprised how few folks have seen this film as there are several scenes that are breath taking and it is one of Christian Bale's best!

2nd time watching this movie. The beginning showed us the disparities of the high class and low class and how quickly things can change. But throughout the movie it showed how human we are and even tho were different there are connections we can make and can become friends if only we werent so materialistic and power hungry. Thats just one hidden meaning i felt.

It's interesting how ww2 shaped Spielberg stories EOTS phenomenal in presentation performance (bale in particular) and the child's POV. Not everything we see from Jamie's perspective is true but a "version" of what happened that comes from his head. Jamie is always reading comics and the cover of one is identical to how we first see bassy. Spielbergs talent will never be fully used as the years working against him now and his back catalogue should be appreciated for awesome library it is

At 24:00 Not everyone picks up on that scene with the parents at his bedside, which is then repeated throughout the movie, in the photo of the Norman Roockwell painting, (One of the "Four Freedoms") which Jim keeps above his bed in the camp. It reminds him of them, even when he can't remember their faces.

It's a profound story and fits right in with Spielberg's desire to shed his boyhood fantasies and embrace suffering.

I love this movie! Aside from this video and another one, there haven’t been many analysis done on this film which is sad…thanks for the video! 😊😊

One of the best films I've ever seen.

If you want to do a re-watch of this film let me know. It's one of my top John Williams scores and Steven Spielberg films.

Critics were always wrong about this. This is a singularly brilliant film in every way.

I share the same dear connection to this film so thank you for your beautiful analysis ❤ just rewatched with subtitles and caught a lot I missed. Film > book

The first time I watched this film was in Hong Kong, where I was an ex-pat, and it was just a week after returning from a two-week fact-finding visit to Shanghai. I watched it with my then 10-yr old son. Ballard had spoken at my school, long before he wrote his book. So I had some idea of his wartime experiences. At the school, a choir school in London, I had sung the solo in our rendition of Suo Gân (as I spoke Welsh fluently). All this came together at that cinema in Wan Chai, and my son witnessed me crying, for his first time. Yes, this film should be rated one of Spielburg's best, and as the finest Bale performance of his career. No child actor equalled this 1987 debut until Jacob Trembley in Room.

I!m not going to debate with anyone who doesnt like or thinks this is a bad movie, i!ll just call him/her a fool. I stopped explaining to idiots why water is wet.

Great review and an amazing movie .You definitely gave me an other insight into the movie and explained a few missing pieces.thanks

Christian Bale is fantastic

I for one think we should have gotten an answer as to where Jamie’s parents where during the whole shindig and how they coped without Jamie. For all I care, they were probably evacuated to Australia.

Fantastic movie. I remember watching it as a kid, and being unable to stand the young boy. As an adult and a parent with a little boy of my own, it was like watching a whole new film. You see the massive failing of his parents to prepare him for the world and turn him into a good person, as well as how heartbreaking it is that a little boy is left alone and afraid like that. And watching him grow and mature and become a survivor at such a young age. I also LOVED the comparison between Jim and the young Japanese boy. Two kids caught in a war when they should really just be allowed to be kids. Also thank you Paul Revere for saving me from having to call cookies “biscuits” 😂🙏🇺🇸🍪

This is Spielberg's most underrated and overlooked movie. Its also one of his movies i eatch the least not because i think.low of it but quite the contrary, i rate it as one of his top 3 best films he ever made, but the emotional impact it causes in the end is always so strong that it just overwhflms me everytime snd has been going on since i first watched it back in 1987. This movie actually killed my enjoyment of ET and i'm glad for it.

Not forgotten. I own it. I love it. I show scenes to my students when discussing audio in movies. This movie is a real tour de force!

A masterpiece. I’ve never understood the critics on this one. They were almost indignant about it. Like was Spielberg getting too big for his britches? Could they not handle the level of his talent? Like how dare he hit all those perfect notes/casting, music, cinematography? Were they jealous? I never understood.I think it might’ve been ahead of its time.

I saw this film on a plane when I was a young kid, obsessed with airplanes and the war. This was back in the days when the in-flight movie was projected onto the bulkhead at the front of the cabin and the only choice you had was whether to put the headphones in and tune to the right channel or not. My dad was unsure whether it would be appropriate for a ten year old, but he let me tune in. It absolutely captivated me, though I didn't understand much of it. I've loved it ever since.

Bale also had a small role in Henry V

I haven't forgotten that movie. Actually it is one of my favourites ;)

It’s definitely one of the most criminally underrated movies in Steven Spielberg’s filmography. That and Amistad.

Never forgotten.

This is my all-time favorite movie. I love it so much and I'm glad to see someone else's appreciation of it.

I thought it was one of the greatest movies ever

I watched Empire of the Sun when I first came out. And for many years I thought of Christain Bale first as the star of Empire of the Sun. It is not surprising that he has had a great career.

I just saw this film recently on RU-vid because 1.) it's a Spielberg film (my favorite director), 2.) this movie came out the year I was born (1987). I enjoyed the film, very well created drama war film.

This movie and the book. (It is available free on RU-vid as a 10 -hour audio book, by the way). My favourite scenes are the relationship between Jamie and the doctor, played by Nigel Havers. He was definitely a father-substitute. Without him, Jamie might not have survived.

I remember seeing this film for the first time in 1988. It was on VHS. My parents rented a VHS player once a month, and my big brother asked for this movie. I was upset. I thought it was a Star Wars movie simply because it had the word "Empire" in the title. Little did I know that my 12 year old self would discover my favorite movie then and still at 47 yrs old.

One if my favorite movies. As far as war movies go I would place it up there with Soviet war movie "come abd see". Many similarities but different take and style.

It's been my favorite Spielberg film ever since I saw it in 1987 in Buffalo, NY. I'm not American, I was there on a high-school exchange from Yugoslavia. This was Spielberg maturing immensely from E.T., just five years ago, and even The Color Purple, just two years prior, which he is now remaking as a producer. But as you very astutely point out, there is so much to unpack here that it turned the critics off. Poor Steven thought they'd let him work on the level of a Ford or a Lean or a Kubrick right after making all those Raiders movies - the critics just weren't ready to admit him to the big boys' club. For the reasons laid out here straight out of my musings 36 years ago, it is his most profound work. The Ballard book I finished on the return flight home, and marvelled at the script that Tom Stoppard pulled out of it - the little changes of names and places, just like in The Witches of Eastwick, also brilliantly scored by Williams in 1987. It really is a marvel of adapting for film. And I remember that even before I saw the film, I noticed that Stoppard wrote it (and I loved his Brazil), that Williams scored it, that Allen Daviau shot it, and that Norman Reynolds designed its production. That alone made it seem like an ideal Spielberg production. Thankfully, it was. That team would never get back together again, but they did get to make this masterpiece together.

One of my top 5 all-time favourite movies. Trying to convince my 21 yr old to watch it tonight.

Sold! I'm about to watch it. Maybe I should make some popcorn first.... 🙂 Update: Just finished the movie, and I really liked it! Impressive acting by Christian Bale, especially at such a young age. Definitely would recommend this movie - thank you for recommending it to us!

Great film and book, both on my all time favourites list relating to the WW2 period and I usually end up re-reading the book for the umpteenth time after watching the film! If it hasn't already been mentioned in the comments, there is a video documentary on RU-vid about the making of the film, worth a watch if you've never seen it - called 'The China Odyssey - The Making Of The Empire Of The Sun' (1987).

Sorry if this has already been said but The Jacket Jamie has has the Chinese flag on it, not the Japanese. I don’t know what it says in Chinese but that back patch is very similar looking to the A.V.G (American Volunteer Group) or The Flying Tigers. They were American fighter pilots who flew for the Chinese against the Japanese before the United States got involved in the war. I have no idea how Jamie could of gotten that Jacket in an internment camp unless we are to believe a Flying Tiger was in the American barracks? It’s kind of plot hole to me because we’re never given an explanation for the jacket.

When I was a kid, we only had about 5 VHS' and didn't rent much movies, Empire of the Sun was one of them. So to pass the time, I'd re-watch this movie seemingly every other day. I must have seen it at least 100 times. Such a brilliant film, it's etched deep inside my mind.