Review of Empire of the Sun (1987) by Brandon S — 20 Nov 2016

I really liked this Steven Spielberg drama which I think was treated somewhat harshly by critics upon its initial release. The story takes place in Shanghai during WWII after the Japanese invasion and follows a young British boy as he tries to survive in an internment camp.

. That youngster is played by Christian Bale who is excellent, you can see that even at 13yrs old he had tremendous talent and dive and carries the picture. Now, this film has some of Spielberg's typical flaws in that the story has his usual sheen and polish to it, somehow making even the terrible interment camp look beautiful and epic, but it didn't detract from the story for me.

John Malkovich is great in a supporting role as well and a young Ben Stiller also pops-up.. Give it a try!