Review of The Last Emperor (1987) by Jh K — 25 Oct 2012
The Last Emperor isn't a great film. The main issue for me concerns the use of a foreign language to portray the history of a country. It's authenticity as fictional history and great story-telling is immediately diminished when purely Chinese characters utter a language from the other side of the world.
To me, the best moment of the film (and one of the best moments in movie history) is the upward shot of the three year-old Pu Yi sitting on the throne for the first time. It is both ludicrous and magnificent simultaneously. The rest of the film does not match the grandeur of Pu Yi's toddler scenes. I expected more of the film to focus on the young emperor since those tend to be the most memorable moments (and they're always pictured on the film sleeves!). The beautiful imagery shines through as he wanders curiously throughout the palace.
The rest of the film tells a good story, but it ranks only above average.
This review of The Last Emperor (1987) was written by Jh K on 25 Oct 2012.
The Last Emperor has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
