The Last Emperor

Starring: John Lone, Joan Chen
Directed by: Bernardo Bertolucci
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
1987

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary:Follows the story of Pu Yi, the last emperor of China. He was crowned at age 3 and lived as emperor until his 20s, when China became the People's Republic, and Pu Yi was forced to live as a regular man.

Review:

Tim: This film won 9 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. That is pretty amazing. After seeing it, I can understand some of its success. The Last Emperor is a grand epic that feels even larger than it really is (and believe me, it is a huge-feeling movie).

While watching it, I could never really get caught up in the storyline. I don't know if it was the actors or the writing, but I never got emotionally attached to anyone, and felt like I was watching from a distance. The story is interesting enough, about the last emperor and his descent from being worshipped almost like a god to just one of a billion people in China. However, that didn't stop me from marvelling at the epic sweep of the film. The Last Emperor is one of the most detail-oriented films I have ever seen. Every scene is so lavishly done, with backgrounds and costumes all authentic and beautiful. It really feels as if Bernardo Bertolucci was completely in control of every single detail from start to finish. He deserves his Academy Award.

Also, this film benefits from the sheer feeling you get that it is an important film. While watching it, I couldn't help but realize I was viewing an important moment in filmmaking. That isn't to say this film has no flaws. At 2 hours and 44 minutes, you just want the film to be over slightly past the two hour mark. It seems to drag on and on and you begin to wonder whether Pu Yi lived for a thousand years.

Other than the length, my other complaint is just that you can't get into the storyline. I appreciate the grand scheme and the importance of the film, but movies need to be entertaining as well. That is where The Last Emperor is weakest. I still recommend seeing this film, if for no other reason, than because it has an Academy Award for Best Picture.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Last Samurai