In his most under appreciated gem, Empire of the Sun, based off the semi-autobiographical novel by J.G. Ballard, is filled with the fingerprints of the then boy wonder, Steven Spielberg. Empire of the Sun will eventually launch Spielberg’s fascination of World War II on film, leading to a few of what many consider his greatest films, Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. In the heart of Empire of the Sun beats ambition and awe that are difficult to overlook because they soar in such grand scales. Spielberg is a believer who oozes emotions on a grand atmosphere, and he does it well, with the mix of the music by John Williams and creating the right tone.

Echoing the coming-of-age boyhood spirit of E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Empire of the Sun gives Spielberg to work on a larger canvas, working with hundreds of extras on the streets of Shanghai, which has recently opened its doors to foreigners in the late eighties. The film opens with the beautiful and haunting Welsh lullaby, “Suo Gao” as we are introduced to the lavish lifestyle of a spoiled British boy, Jim Graham, played by Christian Bale. He attends an exclusive private school. He, along with his parents, live in comfort and he is exposed little to whatever darkness that is contained in the world. Jim has absolutely no respect for the Chinese servants at his house. He stares off into the sky of those extraordinary warplanes and each day, he dreams of flying.

Unlike E.T., Empire of the Sun focuses on the death of childhood when Jamie becomes separate by his parents when the Japanese invades China in the start of World War II. He walks around the terror filled city of Shanghai and is found by two American seaman merchants. They are Basie (John Malkovich) and Frank (Joe Pantoliano) who treat Jim well but when their plan of selling Jim becomes unsuccessful, they are ready to leave him behind. But Jim convinces them that his old neighborhood, which is now property of Imperial Japan, is full of treasures they can sell. The Japanese now are in control of the area, and they send the three to a detention camp. Days later, Jim forcibly follows Basie to an internment camp.

Fast-forward to 1945, where the end of the war is impending, a teenage Jim sees the war with wide-open adventure and growing fascination as he is confined in the wires of the internment camp. He sees the horrors of war but at the same time, he has a lingering respect for the Japanese. Jim is under the supervision of the Victors and lives carelessly enough, although under poor conditions. He is educated under Dr. Rawlins (Nigel Havers) and tries desperately to impress Basie so he can move in with the American men. He seems to be having fun, but also overwhelmed by loneliness. At one pivotal scene, he tells Dr. Rawlins that he has forgotten about how his parents look like.

Beside from the fact that Empire of the Sun is beautifully shot and Spielberg seems to be indulged with his own work, the film is so perfectly constructed and nicely character-driven that it is nothing less than impressive. There are good supporting performances, namely by Malkovich and Havers, but it is Christian Bale as the young hero of the story that shines. Bale, in perhaps the greatest performance delivered by a child actor, shows vulnerabilities in slowly leaving childhood behind. His childhood, a life of privilege and simplicity, has been terminated by the cause of war. Through the confinements of war, the character is able to break free of the snob he once was.

With the feel of an epic and reminiscence to David Lean’s work, there is a certain kind of old-fashioned filmmaking spirit that Spielberg seems to achieve. The film is able to have a sense of humor while entering a landscape of brutality. Many moviegoers complain that some of Spielberg’s films manipulate emotions, but I would disagree. He provokes emotions because he takes advantage of music and tone to deliver the impact. Empire of the Sun shows the director as his most ambitious and although he has made many great movies afterwards, this film is my personal favorite of his.

The second side of the DVD includes two special features: the theatrical trailer and the documentary, The China Odyssey: 'Empire of the Sun', a Film by Steven Spielberg. The making-of documentary, narrated by Martin Sheen, is pretty interesting, as it sheds light into a forgotten arena in WWII history. There are interviews with a young Christian Bale and footage of Spielberg directing him. There are also interviews with the writer, J.G. Ballard, in which he comments on the similarities between the young Ballard and Bale. Overall, the documentary is engaging and mildly entertaining.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up Ages 8