After
Japan surrendered in WW2 General Douglas MacArthur (Tommy Lee Jones)
was sent to help rebuild the country and cement better relations among
the two nations that fought each other . Along the way he has to find
out how involved the Japanese Emperor Hirohito (Takataro Kataoka) has
been in the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the actual war. He puts General
Bonner Fellers (Matthew Fox) in charge of the investigation, giving him
10 days to investigate and come to the conclusion whether the Emperor
should be held for war crimes and possibly executed.

In
“Emporer” we find a country in ruin except for the royal palaces of the
ruler which has maintained its splendor but it is never explained how,
which would have made for  a more interesting story. Instead we have a
mostly fictionalized story of General Fellers and a Japanese woman
before the  war and his search for her afterwards.

There
are some examples of the different ways the two countries, and the
people who lead them, are but not enough not hold the audience’s
interest.  There are hints of the politics back in the States and those
who want the Emperor executed. There is also reference to  the
possibility that MacArthur may run for President.

Tommy
Lee Jones isn’t on screen long enough  but he snaps off his lines so
sharply that you wish he had made a longer appearance. Matthew Fox has
the longer, starring role but isn’t very commanding in the role of a
General and the love story is a complete waste. The screenplay by David
KLass and Vera Blasi is far from interesting or even suspenseful
regarding what will be the final report on the Emperor. The direction by
Peter Weber just sits there.

For whatever reason all I could think of was the Marlon Brando movie “Saynora” which would be worth more of your time.