gabe5525 As a fan of Spielberg's films, I felt obligated to see this film. While this is certainly a good film, this is not a great one or even one of Spielberg's best. Christian Bale does give a great performance, the visuals are spectacular, and John Williams gives a haunting score. This film though is very unfocused and aloof which can make the experience a bit of a chore to sit through. I have no issues with slow dramas as long as they keep me interested in the characters and their stories, but I felt no long attachment or affection for the characters other than Bale. There are great moments throughout that can make this movie worthwhile, but other moments that will make you wonder what is going on or why it should matter. Spielberg tries to make us feel emotion for this boy and his predicament, but all I could feel was emotional confusion. Spielberg's film unfortunately for me meanders from moment to moment showing signs of depth and understanding but ultimately feeling incomplete at the end.

Kirpianuscus at first sigh, a film about survive. or about the war. or a film about early maturation.in fact, only a masterpiece. and, like each masterpiece, out of any explanation. because not exactly the great performances or the realistic atmosphere, the genius of Spielberg or the spirit of novel , the few memorable scenes or the dramatic end are essential but he state of viewer after its end. it is one of films who transforms the war in the next event from you because it gives the precious possibility to discover it inside. like a sort of experience. out of comfortable clichés. like a form of escape from yours circle. because the idea to lose everything , to suffer, to do anything only for survive, to depend by the other become more than a hypothesis after you see this film.

scoey Great Britain's "nickname" historically was the empire upon which the sun never sets. This was due to their far-reaching imperialist nature. The film even begins with a history lesson / scene setting exposition which illustrates how Shanghai was basically a British colony, indistinguishable from England in terms of its buildings and infrastructure. Hong Kong was still under British rule until the end of the last century.So, when another reviewer, NeuroticMovieLover, describes this film as one showing the destruction caused by a nation that wanted to control everything, I must ask, which nation would THAT be? Fascism was rampant around the world, highly fashionable with those in power at that time. Business leaders in the United States bristled at the notion that Germany was not a trustworthy ally, even as they began to conquer Europe. It was only because American business interests were threatened by fascist expansion that the U.S. entered the war against the "Axis of evil". We were just the other side of the same imperialist coin. Our overlords were better at selling servitude as freedom than the SS, Mussolini's black shirts or the Hirohito cult of personality.This film was very good at portraying people from every quarter as being as flawed as they were noble. This was not a movie condemning Japan as the bad guys.

SnoopyStyle While Japan is conquering China, foreigners live in the Shanghai International Settlement oblivious to the suffering. Jamie Graham (Christian Bale) is a spoiled British upper class schoolboy. In the chaos of the Japanese taking Shanghai, Jamie's parents lose him in the crowd. He goes home to find his servants stealing the valuables. He is found by Basie (John Malkovich) and Frank Demarest (Joe Pantoliano) who are also stranded in Shanghai. He is taken to an assembly center along with Basie who teaches him how to survive. In the camp, Jamie lives with the Victors.Spielberg is a master of a child's wonderment. That's what he does here. Despite the movie's subject matter, it never gets to be truly disturbing or ugly. He always pulls back a little earning its PG rating. Jamie can be an annoying spoiled brat. At times, he seems to be deliberately dense. Christian Bale does an amazing acting job. It is a wonderfully shot movie. Although it may not get the perfect sense of the reality.