By: Dewi Green, Class 9
Privilege in times of war: how good was it? Living in a mansion with both his parents and a maid, Jamie Graham, a young privileged English boy, is living in Shanghai– when the Japanese invaded. He gets lost in a swarm of people when he loses his mother’s hand, later getting captured by somebody. With beautiful cinematics and propelling storyline, this movie is guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings and push your emotions, make you claw at the edges of your seat. Yet, it brings a sense of hope and warmth, gratitude for what we have and just how lucky we are to not be fighting and living under a country sieged with bomber planes, kamikaze pilots, soldiers and a slowly diminishing source of food. The movie is based on J.G Ballard’s book, which shares the same name: Empire of the Sun, a semi-autobiographical book. Truly an inspiring and hope-fulfilling story, this film is a must-watch for those not only who love history and world war two, but people seeking a thrilling, heart-aching movie.