Overview
Witness the rise and fall of an emperor in a world turned upside down by revolution.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- majestic
- melancholic
- reflective
- historical film night
- arthouse cinema viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's extraordinary locations, production design, historical sweep, and John Lone's compelling portrayal of Pu Yi, while finding its protagonist somewhat dramatically distant.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Forbidden City, lavish costumes, thousands of extras, and ceremonial spaces give Pu Yi's life monumental visual scale.
Pu Yi enjoys extraordinary luxury inside the Forbidden City while remaining sheltered from political reality and meaningful freedom.
Pu Yi's childhood enthronement and later life unfold alongside revolution, occupation, and the replacement of imperial rule.
Captured by the Red Army in 1950, Pu Yi recalls his childhood and reign from imprisonment as a war criminal.
Films like The Last Emperor, and why
Lawrence of Arabia
shared historical epic scale, imperial collapse, and visually sumptuous treatment of political upheaval
Empire of the Sun
shared biographical drama structure, war-torn historical setting, and focus on an isolated protagonist shaped by empire
Reds
shared grand historical sweep, intimate character study, and themes of power, identity, and political transformation
The Leopard
shared meditation on the end of an aristocratic world, cultural dislocation, and restrained personal tragedy
Movie Details
- Director
- Bernardo Bertolucci
- Release Date
- 1987-10-04
- Runtime
- 163 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (1994)
Cast
- John Lone
- Joan Chen
- Peter O'Toole
- Ruocheng Ying
- Victor Wong
- Dennis Dun
- Ryuichi Sakamoto
- Maggie Han
- Ric Young
- Vivian Wu
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Last Emperor about?
- A visually monumental portrait of Pu Yi, whose sheltered imperial childhood and turbulent adulthood mirror the collapse of China's last dynasty.
- What is The Last Emperor like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Last Emperor as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Last Emperor violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Last Emperor as mild.
- What did critics think of The Last Emperor?
- Critics broadly praised the film's extraordinary locations, production design, historical sweep, and John Lone's compelling portrayal of Pu Yi, while finding its protagonist somewhat dramatically distant.
- Which films are like The Last Emperor?
- Films with a similar feel include Lawrence of Arabia, Empire of the Sun, Reds, and The Leopard.
- How long is The Last Emperor?
- The Last Emperor runs 163 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Last Emperor?
- In United States, The Last Emperor streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel.
