Steven Spielberg's obsession with World War Two stories continued with this often absorbing saga told from a child's point of view.

Newcomer Christian Bale (Batman Begins) plays an 11-year-old boy separated from his parents and having to survive an internment camp after the Japanese invade China during World War Two.

There's no denying the power of the amazing set pieces (especially the evacuation of Shanghai) in this adaptation of the epic J G Ballard novel, but on a human level, the film is less happy.

John Malkovich's opportunistic King Rat type threatens to become a fully developed character but never follows it through.

There's a strong British contingent - including Paul McGann in an early role, but it's Bale who takes most of the attention.

His flight through swamp scrub outside the prison camp in which he spends most of his time is one of the film's few highlights.