Empire of Light (2022) Movie Review

Director Sam Mendez’s collaboration with cinematographer Roger Deakins has become one of the best pairings in Hollywood. The two of them have made some of the best-looking films of all time including ‘Jarhead’, ‘Revolutionary Road’, ‘Skyfall’, ‘1917’ and now ‘Empire of Light’, which marks their latest collaboration together. Empire of Light is a story about human connection, using the turbulent times of 1980s England as a backdrop to this emotional and romantic tale. The film has an impressive cast led by the likes of Olivia Coleman and Colin Firth, with supporting work from Michael Ward and Toby Jones. The film was released in late 2022 to mixed reception, however, the film was acknowledged at the 95 annual Academy Awards with a well-deserved nomination for achievement in cinematography.

I adore this film from start to finish. The real highlight here is the amazing cinematography and direction. Roger Deakins lenses films like no other. His ability to select seamless shots every time he steps behind the camera is truly inspiring. He uses a combination of artificial lightning, with a lot of shots also using natural lighting. The combination is a part of the reason his films look so beautiful. Sam Mendez is also a master of his craft as well, directing both gorgeous shots but also amazing performances. His ability to work with his performers, getting the most out of them in both an emotional and physical sense.

I found Olivia Coleman’s turn as Hilary here to be perfect. Ever since her Oscar win in 2018s ‘The Favourite’, she has continued to turn out amazing work. Here she is more subdued than what we usually see from her, however, I find her performance to be layered and truly mesmerizing. Her interplay with Colin Firth is also memorable, as the two-share amazing chemistry with one another. Colin Firth is another actor that works tremendously well with his director’s. The man won an Oscar for his turn in 2010’s ‘The King's Speech’ and ever since then, has continued to deliver top tier work. I also enjoyed the supporting work of Toby Jones and Michael Ward. Toby Jones of course is a remarkable character actor, but I was relatively unfamiliar with Ward's work. Ward seems to be making his mark with many homegrown films and television appearances, but Empire of Light is his first foray into American cinema (even though it is a British production). I can’t wait to see him develop as an actor and I look forward to his future performances.

Another great aspect of this film is the beautiful location. The film is set in the coastal town of Margate, a town on the far North Coast of England, with principal photography also occurring at Margate. The film captures the beauty of the English coastline, with a heavy focus of the small Coastal town, playing a large part of the film's feel. Deakins does a great job of capturing the beauty here, whilst Mendez ensures the audience understands the symbolism of a location such as this and the implications it has on the film’s narrative. It’s simply beautiful and makes me want to book a Holiday there.

‘Empire of Light’ was an utter delight (no rhyme intended). It’s a gorgeous film, painting a intricate and personal story of love, lust and the human condition, set to the backdrop of troubling times in 1980s England. Empire of Light is a great example of a film that can be elevated due to beautiful direction and gorgeous cinematography. Empire of Light is now available on Blu-Ray and DVD, head on over to Sanity’s website to secure your copy here

Christopher Pattison from Oz Movie Geek wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here