Das Reich der Sonne

Bestätigt: Jedes Mal, wenn ich mir diesen Film anschaue, bin ich gerührt. Für das großartige Erlebnis, das für mich Das Reich der Sonne jedes Mal vorbereitet, ist sicherlich auch meine Faszination für Flugzeuge verantwortlich (bei der Szene "Cadillac of the skies" bekomme ich immer Gänsehaut, die imaginäre Luftschlacht im abgestürzten Flugzeug ist perfekt usw.). Den größten Beitrag haben aber nach wie vor Spielbergs Präzision, Williams’ Filmmusik sowie Bale und Malkovich geleistet. Zu wenigen Filmen passt das Adjektiv "schön" so gut wie zu diesem Werk. (14.03.2011)

Die Verfilmung des autobiografischen Buches von J. G. Ballard war etwas, auf das ich mich schon lange gefreut hatte. Ein interessantes Thema, eine tolle Besetzung (Christian Bale, Miranda Richardson, John Malkovich). Das Reich der Sonne mag in seiner Breite auch an Der Liebhaber nach Duras erinnern, aber ich befürchte, wie andere Spielberg-Retrofilme ist er leider veraltet. Dies ist also ein interessanter Ausflug in das Kino der 1980er Jahre. Der junge Bale war schon damals unglaublich talentiert, aber für ein tieferes Erlebnis hätte man den Film damals sehen müssen. (01.02.2020)

Steven Spielberg has a long list of titles to his name throughout his illustrious career, and these have etched themselves into film history and the hearts of film fans. There is certainly a group of films that are undoubtedly more prominently known and their reviews overflow with enthusiasm that surpasses Empire of the Sun. However, when I look at Spielberg's work with some distance, I dare to declare that Empire of the Sun stands out from his filmography with its maturity, restraint, and avoidance of emotional manipulation (he simply works with emotions in a more civil and less manipulative way, at least compared to the famous Schindler's List). He captures pivotal historical events through the life story of a young boy who never destroyed an enemy airplane nor fired any weapon. However, unlike others, he managed to overcome separation from his family and survive in adverse conditions. The film received only a lukewarm reception in the United States, and this time Spielberg did not live up to his reputation as a blockbuster producer and money factory. But a film enthusiast with an eye for visual storytelling and great cinematic narratives will surely enjoy the superb depiction of crowd scenes, aerial maneuvers in the clouds, and the atmosphere of the concentration camp. Overall, it is arguably Spielberg's best contribution to world cinema: 100%. (01.10.2013)

Spielberg can tell these stories like no-one else (in this case, so well that I'm surprised he wasn't awarded the golden statuette) and in an incredible way he was able to capture the atmosphere of the Second World War from a perspective I've probably never seen before. Christian Bale had already shown with his first role that great things could be expected of him, and in twenty years he’s managed to prove it, as evidenced by his current roles. Plus, John Malkovich and Joe Pantoliano make an excellent duo, and when Ben Stiller showed up I couldn't believe my eyes. It's quite fun to watch older movies with actors who were new stars at the time. (22.07.2008)

An amazingly portrayed real story told from a child’s perspective, which is hurt a little by its excessive runtime and having too many endings. But every scene is so masterfully put together and each of those endings are so emotionally strong and semantically different (which is important), that there’s nothing to complain about. It should be swimming in Oscars, at least for he music and the cinematography. (17.01.2021)