Review of Empire of the Sun (1987) by Aliya D — 08 Aug 2008
Empire of the Sun is a gem of movie-making. Visually arresting from start to finish, given a sumptuous musical score by John Williams and some of the finest cinematography ever seen, it is hard to understand why the film is not as highly acclaimed as it ought to be.
..nor is it fitting that it was nominated for six Academy Awards but received none. The film falls squarely on the shoulders of Christian Bale, so much so that the supporting players are never fully fleshed characters.
However, all of them within a limited range, including John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson and Nigel Havers, do magnificent jobs. Steven Spielberg's direction cannot be faulted. He has given us a closeup glimpse of war and its effect on people that can only be rivaled by his later masterwork, Schindler's List.
Technically, the film is a brilliant achievement in all of its World War II details. And Christian Bale certainly deserved an Oscar for what has to be one of the strongest performances ever given by a child actor, with never a false step, every nuance just perfect.
This review of Empire of the Sun (1987) was written by Aliya D on 08 Aug 2008.
Empire of the Sun has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
