Empire of the Sun (1987): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Empire of the Sun is a 1987 action drama directed by Steven Spielberg, starring John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson and Christian Bale. It is partly based on Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard. It runs 2 hours 33 minutes and earned $22.2 million worldwide. It won 3 awards from 15 nominations, among them 6 Oscar nominations. Critics gave it 77% on Rotten Tomatoes and 62 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 33m (153 min)
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Based on
- Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Empire of the Sun About?
The premise of Empire of the Sun without spoilers, adapted from Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
In December 1941, as Shanghai falls to the Japanese invasion, young James Graham’s comfortable life is irrevocably changed. Separated from his parents, he is sent to the Soo Chow confinement camp, a brutal environment of scarcity and hardship. To cope with the trauma and uncertainty, Jim clings to memories of his former privileged existence. His resilience and ability to find moments of joy become a source of hope for those around him, demonstrating the enduring power of the human spirit amidst the devastation of war.
Empire of the Sun Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- world war two
- 1940s
- china
- survival
- japanese occupation of china
- boy
- airplane
- crying
- coming of age
- mother son relationship
- father son relationship
- teenage boy
+38 more Show fewer
- surrender
- shanghai china
- japanese army
- child protagonist
- separation from family
- courage
- loss of innocence
- scavenger
- parachute
- imperial japanese army
- bombing of nagasaki
- child in jeopardy
- nuclear explosion
- starvation
- internment camp
- based on novel
- battle
- murder
- explosion
- blood
- orchestral music score
- ship
- beating
- epic
- soldier
- hotel
- piano
- doctor
- katana sword
- racism
- bicycle
- exploding airplane
- abandoned house
- husband wife relationship
- japanese soldier
- radio
- swimming pool
- class differences
Empire of the Sun Cast
John Malkovich leads the cast, with Miranda Richardson and Christian Bale. Directed by Steven Spielberg.
-
Director Steven Spielberg
More from Steven Spielberg
More films directed by Steven Spielberg, best-rated first: Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, The Fabelmans and Jaws.
Empire of the Sun Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Empire of the Sun 77% on Rotten Tomatoes and 62 on Metacritic.
-
Rotten Tomatoes 77% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 90%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 62 Metascore
User score 7.7
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 75% User score
See on TMDB
Empire of the Sun Plot Summary
What happens in Empire of the Sun from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the turmoil of World War II, specifically during Japan’s invasion of China, Jamie “Jim” Graham navigates a sheltered life in the Shanghai International Settlement, blissfully unaware of the impending chaos. As the occupation escalates, Jim’s family evacuates, leaving him stranded and alone in their abandoned home, where he naively waits for their return while scavenging for food as the isolation stretches on.
Full summary
The whole story of Empire of the Sun, scene by scene
Empire of the Sun Box Office
Empire of the Sun grossed $22.2 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$22.2M
- US & Canada
- $22.2M
Empire of the Sun Awards & Nominations
Empire of the Sun won 3 awards from 15 nominations, among them 6 Oscar nominations. Its biggest night was the BAFTA 1989, with 3 wins from 6 nominations.
3 wins15 nominations4 ceremonies
-
BAFTA 1989 3 wins · 6 nominations- Won Best Cinematography
- Won Best Original Music
- Won Best Sound
- Nominated Best Adapted Screenplay
- Nominated Best Costume Design
-
Oscars 1988 6 nominations- Nominated Art Direction
- Nominated Cinematography
- Nominated Costume Design
- Nominated Film Editing
- Nominated Music (Original Score)
-
Golden Globes 1988 2 nominations- Nominated Best Motion Picture – Drama
- Nominated Best Original Score – John Williams
-
DGA Awards 1988 1 nomination- Nominated Feature Film – Steven Spielberg
Empire of the Sun Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 clip.
- Clip Property of the Japanese Emperor
How Well Do You Know Empire of the Sun?
9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 9
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
Who is the main character of the film?
Cars in Empire of the Sun
26 cars on screen, including the 1938 Ford V8 1½-Ton and the Nissan Type 80.
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1938 Ford V8 1½-Ton Important role -
Nissan Type 80 Important role -
1939 McLaughlin-Buick Special Important role -
1938 Packard Super Eight Important role
Empire of the Sun Also Known As
30 alternative titles, including “L'Empire Du Soleil” and “Das Reich der Sonne”.
- Also known as
-
- L'Empire Du Soleil
- Das Reich der Sonne
- Solens rike
- L'impero del sole
- El imperio del sol
- Günəş İmperiyası
- Imperium Słońca
- Empire du soleil
- Империя Солнца
- Güneş İmparatorluğu
- Império do Sol
- 太阳帝国
+18 more Show fewer
- A Nap birodalma
- Říše slunce
- Η Αυτοκρατορία του Ηλιου
- אימפריית השמש
- 太陽の帝国
- Solens rige
- Imperij sonca
- Imperiul Soarelui
- Auringon valtakunta
- Империята на слънцето
- 태양의 제국
- Імперія сонця
- 太陽帝國
- น้ำตาสีเลือด
- Saulės imperija, მზის იმპერია
- L’Imperi del Sol
- Đế Chế Mặt Trời
- Ríša slnka
Seen Empire of the Sun?
Movies Like Empire of the Sun
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Empire of Silver, The Children of Huang Shi and Air Strike.
Empire of the Sun FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of Empire of the Sun, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Empire of the Sun?
Empire of the Sun runs 2 hours 33 minutes (153 minutes).
When was Empire of the Sun released?
Empire of the Sun was released on December 9, 1987.
Who directed Empire of the Sun?
Empire of the Sun was directed by Steven Spielberg.
More films by Steven Spielberg Who is in the cast of Empire of the Sun?
Empire of the Sun stars John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson and Christian Bale.
How much did Empire of the Sun make at the box office?
Empire of the Sun grossed $22.2 million worldwide.
How is Empire of the Sun rated?
Empire of the Sun has 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, 62 on Metacritic and 75% on TMDB.
Is Empire of the Sun based on a book?
Yes. Empire of the Sun is partly adapted from Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard.
What awards did Empire of the Sun win?
Empire of the Sun won 3 awards from 15 nominations, including Best Cinematography at the BAFTA 1989.
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