Emperor

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  • Opened March 8, 2013 (Limited)
  • 1 hr 46 min
  • PG-13 | for violent content, brief strong language and smoking (historical)

  • Parents: Common Sense Media says OK for kids 14+. More on child suitability

  • A gripping tale of love and honor forged between fierce enemies of war, EMPEROR tells the story, inspired by true events, of the bold and secret moves that won the peace in the shadows of post-war Japan. Starring Academy Award-winner Tommy Lee Jones, Matthew Fox, and newcomer Eriko Hatsune, EMPEROR brings to life the American occupation of Japan in the perilous and unpredictable days just after Emperor Hirohito's World War II surrender. As General Douglas MacArthur (Jones) suddenly finds himself the de facto ruler of a foreign nation, he assigns an expert in Japanese culture - General Bonner Fellers (Fox), to covertly investigate the looming question hanging over the country: should the Japanese Emperor, worshiped by his people but accused of war crimes, be punished or saved?
    *Note: In English and Japanese with English subtitles. Full synopsis

  • Cast: Matthew Fox, Tommy Lee Jones, Eriko Hatsune
  • Director: Peter Webber
  • Genres: Drama

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Fans say Go
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Critics say So-So
48 out of 100
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Fan Reviews

So-so
NOT GREAT BUT INFORMATIVE FIM ABOUT WHETHER EMPEROR HIROHITO OF JAPAN SHOULD BE TRIED FOR WAR CRIMES AFTER WWII.

by Peneflix

It is tragic when a film has the genesis of greatness but somehow fizzles in the creation process; such is the case with ?Emperor?. A fascinating slice of history, focusing on the demise of Japan?s...

Oh No!
Historical Fiction, Not Historical Fact

by jeffjohnson67

I lived in Japan and have studied Japanese history during the WWII period. "Emperor" is historically inaccurate. The love affair that is central to the plot never happened. The real Japanese girl that...

Go
ms. j

by qtpi410

The movie should not be advertised as Tommy Lee Jones being a main character. Matt Fox was the main character but I guess Jones name had to be front and center to draw people to the film. That...

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Critic Reviews

75
San Francisco Chronicle
| Mick LaSalle

In the end, probably the best way to watch Emperor is to pretend that the Supreme Command of Allied Forces in Japan after World War II was Tommy Lee Jones. If you do that, the movie works surprisingly well. Read full review

75
New York Observer
| Rex Reed

The real star of the film is the magnetic, forceful and charismatic Matthew Fox, who steals the entire film as easily as if he were pitching a softball. Read full review

75
Chicago Sun-Times
|

As is the case with most of the elements in Emperor, the cliches are relatively few and spaced apart, and the tearjerking and profound moments are authentic and well-earned. Read full review

67
Entertainment Weekly
| Owen Gleiberman

Emperor explores the delicate postwar dance of revenge, justice, and realpolitik, yet its focus on the issue of Hirohito's guilt or innocence (did he order the attack on Pearl Harbor? Or did he, in fact, oppose the Japanese military machine?) Read full review

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Photos

Tommy Lee Jones as General Douglas MacArthur in "Emperor."