Yesterday night, I watched Empire of the Sun, the 1987 Spielberg movie starring 13 year old Christian Bale in his first feature film debut. He plays a loquacious rich English boy caught up in the Japanese invasion of Shanghai during WWII. His gets separated from his parents during a coursing 人山人海 situation on Shanghai's streets, who were then literally swept away by the waves of stinky looking Chinese peasants, all clamouring for an escape out of the city. I couldn't help but laugh my ass off as his horrified and disgusted mother became engulfed by the hordes of dirty, lower class 'Chinks' - her arms flailing madly as everybody else pushed and shoved in their desperation. What a juxtaposition. Her with the fancy hat and impeccable button down blazer and skirt ensemble - next to a bunch of icky dudes carrying bloodied chickens and cages and all sorts of other weird thingamabobs. Hah.
Anyway, cute little Christian Bale, officially appellated Jamie Graham in this movie, is really annoying. I guess you could say annoying in a 'sweet' way, but I found him annoying in a you-could-have-fucking-died-oh-my-god-stop way. I mean, for a guy who has received such consummate schooling and upbringing, you'd think he had more common sense than to run up to a marching cavalcade of armed Japanese soldiers and be all like "I SURRENDER! HELP ME! HELP ME! I'M BRITISH!" - then continue to weave in and out of said formation with the impetuousness of a lab rat.
YOU DO NOT FUCKING DO THAT.
Anyway, it's just a movie. lol. I still couldn't refrain from slapping the table multiple times. Also, it really pissed me off when his mum was holding his hand being all like "DON'T LET GO! DON'T LET GO!" during what was clearly a dangerous and urgent situation where lots of people around them were crying and yelling in distress. And then his toy plane falls out of his pocket or something and he LET'S GO to get his plane. Turns around afterwards and of course, his mum is long gone.
LIKE SERIOUSLY, HE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER.
And that's the start of how he ends up at a Japanese POW camp.
Apart from Jamie's initial stupidity (I'm sorry J.G. Ballard, person whom this movie is based on), I really liked the movie. It had a lot of touching and suspenseful moments, and it is definitely the sort of movie I would watch with my young kids one day - snuggled up on the sofa with a bowl of pop corn. Firstly, it's historical, it's based on a true story and it's not dumbed down. Secondly, there are a lot of important lessons or values to be gleaned. Bravery, loyalty, friendship. Even I got teary at some bits. With a young protagonist, it's also slightly more relatable for children. Erm, I'm probably getting a bit ahead of myself here.
Great movie. Would recommend.
