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Empire of the Sun (film)
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===Critical response=== {{Anchor|Critics|Critical response}} Review aggregation website [[Rotten Tomatoes]] gives the film an approval rating of 77% based on reviews from 64 critics, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "One of Steven Spielberg's most ambitious efforts of the 1980s, ''Empire of the Sun'' remains an under-rated gem in the director's distinguished filmography."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/empire_of_the_sun/ |title=Empire of the Sun (1987) |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]] |access-date=September 6, 2024 |archive-date=August 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120820101439/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/empire_of_the_sun/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Metacritic]] calculated an average score of 62 out of 100 based on 22 reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/empire-of-the-sun |title=Empire of the Sun Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=July 19, 2018 |archive-date=October 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024195452/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/empire-of-the-sun |url-status=live }}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ |access-date=2022-02-28 |website=[[CinemaScore]] |language=en-US}}</ref> J. G. Ballard gave positive feedback, and was especially impressed with Christian Bale's performance.<ref name="Sheen" /> Critical reaction was not universally affirmative,<ref name="faber" /> but [[Richard Corliss]] of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' stated that Spielberg "has energized each frame with allusive legerdemain and an intelligent density of images and emotions".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,966149,00.html |title=Cinema: The Man-Child Who Fell to Earth EMPIRE OF THE SUN |last=Corliss |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Corliss |date=December 7, 1987 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date= July 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608174827/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C966149%2C00.html |archive-date=June 8, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Janet Maslin]] from ''[[The New York Times]]'' said Spielberg's movie-conscious spirit gave it "a visual splendor, a heroic adventurousness and an immense scope that make it unforgettable".<ref>[[Janet Maslin|Maislin, Janet]]. [https://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/09/movies/moviesspecial/09SUN.html "Empire of the Sun"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170326221046/http://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/09/movies/moviesspecial/09SUN.html |date=March 26, 2017 }}. ''[[The New York Times]]'', December 9, 1987. Retrieved: September 16, 2008.</ref> [[Julie Salamon]] of ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' wrote that the film was "an edgy, intelligent script by playwright [[Tom Stoppard]], Spielberg has made an extraordinary film out of Mr. Ballard's extraordinary war experience."<ref>Salmon, Julie. [http://www.metacritic.com/movie/empire-of-the-sun/critic-reviews "Empire of the Sun"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024055918/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/empire-of-the-sun/critic-reviews |date=October 24, 2012 }}. ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', December 9, 1987. Retrieved: January 31, 2011.</ref>{{Better source needed|date=November 2020}} [[J. Hoberman]] from ''[[The Village Voice]]'' decried that the serious subject was undermined by Spielberg's "shamelessly kiddiecentric" approach.<ref name="faber" /> [[Roger Ebert]] gave a mixed reaction, "Despite the emotional potential in the story, it didn't much move me. Maybe, like the kid, I decided that no world where you can play with airplanes can be all that bad."<ref>[[Roger Ebert|Ebert, Roger]]. [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19871211/REVIEWS/712110301/1023 "Empire of the Sun"]. ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'', December 11, 1987. Retrieved: September 16, 2008. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925223919/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F19871211%2FREVIEWS%2F712110301%2F1023 |date=September 25, 2012 }}</ref> On his [[At the Movies (1986 TV program)|TV show]] with [[Gene Siskel]], Ebert said that the film "is basically a good idea for a film that never gets off the ground". Siskel added, "I don't know what the film is about. It's so totally confused and taking things from different parts. On one hand, if it wants to say something about a child's-eye view of war, you got a movie made by [[John Boorman]] called ''[[Hope and Glory (film)|Hope and Glory]]'' that was just released that is much better, and much more daring in showing the whimsy that children's view of war is. On the other hand, this film wants to hedge its bet and make it like an adventure film, so you've got like ''[[Indiana Jones]]'' with the John Malkovich character helping the little kid through all the fun of war. I don't know what Spielberg wanted to do."<ref>[http://www.retrojunk.com/content/movie/15/index/ "Empire of the Sun"]. ''Siskel & Ebert''. Disney-ABC Domestic Television. December 12, 1987. Television.</ref>
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