To survive in a world at war, he must find a strength greater than all the events that surround him.
Jamie Graham, a privileged English boy, is living in Shanghai when the Japanese invade and force all foreigners into prison camps. Jamie is captured with an American sailor, who looks out for him while they are in the camp together. Even though he is separated from his parents and in a hostile environment, Jamie maintains his dignity and youthful spirit, providing a beacon of hope for the others held captive with him.
Empire of the Sun (1987) is a drama, history and war film directed by Steven Spielberg, released on December 9, 1987 with a runtime of 2h 33m. It stars Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson and Nigel Havers. Viewers rate it 7.5 out of 10 across 2,195 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Empire of the Sun before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for Empire of the Sun.
Trailer
Clip
Clip
Christian Bale
as Jim
John Malkovich
as Basie
Miranda Richardson
as Mrs. Victor
Nigel Havers
as Dr. Rawlins
Joe Pantoliano
as Frank Demarest
Leslie Phillips
as Maxton
Masatô Ibu
as Sgt. Nagata
Emily Richard
as Jim's Mother
Rupert Frazer
as Jim's Father
Peter Gale
as Mr. Victor
Takatarô Kataoka
as Kamikaze Boy Pilot
Ben Stiller
as Dainty
Directed by Steven Spielberg, written by J.G. Ballard and Tom Stoppard, produced by Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy.
Average viewer score of 7.5/10 from 2,195 ratings.
Empire of the Sun glaringly shines insight into the impoverished wealthy amidst war-torn China. Spielberg is one of a handful of directors that everyone acknowledges. Whether your interest lies with films or elsewhere, he is known to all for his eclectic filmography that tackles nearly every single genre available. The beauty of his directorial talents, is that he can manipulate any subject matter and transform its…
Reviewed on January 16, 2020
_**Even great people have a dud on occasion**_ A British boy (Christian Bale) living with his wealthy parents in Shanghai is separated from them when Japanese forces invade in the early years of WW2. He then has to survive the war in a POW camp. John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, Nigel Havers and Joe Pantoliano play fellow prisoners. Based on J.G. Ballard’s semi-autobiographical novel, “Empire of the Sun” (1987)…
Reviewed on August 15, 2020
2008
1963
2012
2023
2025
1930
1961
1945
2022
1963
2014
2023
1987
2019
2007
1997
2017
2002
2020
1997
2001
1954
1937
2018
1929
1983
1984
1983
2024
2023
2009
Movie
1964
1987
2025
1982
1994
2010
1986
2025
Empire of the Sun (1987) is currently available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home and Spectrum On Demand. No subscription streaming option is listed right now, so availability may change.
The main cast of Empire of the Sun (1987) includes Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, Nigel Havers and Joe Pantoliano. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Empire of the Sun was released on December 9, 1987 and runs for 2h 33m.
Empire of the Sun (1987) holds an average rating of 7.5 out of 10 from 2,195 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama, history and war films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official Empire of the Sun trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
