Empire of the Sun (1987)
A privileged boy's spirit endures the bleakness of war-torn Shanghai with earnest, atmospheric melancholy.
Jamie Graham, a privileged English boy, is living in Shanghai when the Japanese invade and force all foreigners into prison camps. Jamie is captured with an American sailor, who looks out for him while they are in the camp together. Even though he is separated from his parents and in a hostile environment, Jamie maintains his dignity and youthful spirit, providing a beacon of hope for the others held captive with him.
How intense is Empire of the Sun?
Empire of the Sun is mildly scary, with no gore and some violence. Emotionally it is heavy. The pace is measured, and it is a full-attention watch and a late-night trip. Rated PG.
What Empire of the Sun feels like
- Tone
- melancholyearnestatmosphericbleak
- Pace
- Measured
- Best for
- Full attentionLate night
Where to stream Empire of the Sun
Not on a US subscription service at our last check. Rent or buy may still be an option.
US availability via TMDB, last checked Sep 15, 2026. The app filters picks to the services you actually have.
Is Empire of the Sun for you?
Is Empire of the Sun scary?
Only a little. Empire of the Sun has a few tense moments (scare level 1 of 3), nothing that follows you to bed.
Is Empire of the Sun gory or violent?
No gore (0 of 3) and some violence (1 of 3). Squeamish viewers are fine here.
Is Empire of the Sun sad or heavy?
It is emotionally heavy (2 of 3). Expect it to land.
Is Empire of the Sun OK for kids?
It is rated PG and nothing here runs hot: scare 1, gore 0, violence 1, each out of 3. A safe family pick by the numbers.
How long is Empire of the Sun?
Empire of the Sun runs 2h 33m.
Where can I stream Empire of the Sun?
Empire of the Sun is not on a US subscription service right now (rent or buy may still be an option).
Does Empire of the Sun have a happy ending? spoiler-safe answer
Bittersweet. It earns its ending, but not everyone gets what they want.
Cast and crew
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