Empire of the Sun (1987) poster2

China10 Movies Set in or About ChinaStop 2 of 10

Empire of the Sun

1987 · 153 min · Drama

A pampered young English boy in Shanghai is separated from his parents when the Japanese invade, and comes of age in a prison camp, taken under the wing of a scavenging American sailor. Steven Spielberg's sweeping wartime coming-of-age drama.

Why it’s here

A Shanghai and wartime China story about occupation, internment, and childhood survival.

Runtime
153 min
Genre
Drama · History · War
Mood
tense · thoughtful · dark
Entry
some context
Best for
first visit

Content notes: war or political violence Non-exhaustive

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Part of 10 Movies Set in or About China

This film is stop 2 of 10 in the hand-ranked outside-view route set in or about China. See the complete ranking or read the selection methodology.

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