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.
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55/100 A very personal movie for Spielberg, what with his fascination with World War II and his childlike imagination. It seems fitting that he should retell World War II through the lens of a child. However, Spielberg's skill with drama is not quite fully developed yet, and unlike his previous attempt in The Colour Purple, the script also isn't good enough to save this movie. However, there's still a lot to like here. A young Christian Bale plays the protagonist here, and even as a young boy, his acting is leagues better than most professionals, carrying the movie. Most of the movie's best scenes are due to the work he puts in. This is especially true for the scene in which he's separated from his parents about a fifth through, which I found very emotional. However, the script almost hinders Bale, as his character, Jamie, came off as annoying rather than endearing for most of the…