Kundun

Name: Kundun
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, War
Released: December 25, 1997
Duration: 134 min
Rating: 74
Cast: Gyurme Tethong, Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong

1997

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 26 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 43 Ratings

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7.6

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7.6	Your Score
7.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 43 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: December 25, 1997 | PG-13

Starring: Gyurme Tethong, Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong

Summary: Martin Scorsese directs the incredible true story of one of the world's most fascinating leaders -- Tibet's Dali Lama and his daring struggle to rule a nation at one of the most challenging times in its history. (BV Entertainment)

Director: Martin Scorsese

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, History, War

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 134 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Throughout the film cause and effect, the mainspring of most narratives, is replaced by a sense of spiritual synchronicity. Read full review

100

Michael Wilmington

Whether Kundun is a perfect movie or not, it's an important and beautiful one. Scorsese's movie takes us into a world we've rarely seen with this kind of sympathy or detail: a magical-looking society built on Buddhism and centuries of art and tradition. Read full review

Charles Taylor

Kundun, which was written by Melissa Mathison ("E.T.") from interviews conducted with the Dalai Lama, doesn't make you greedy for its images the way some gorgeous films do. It allows you to drink each one in tranquilly. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Sandra Contreras

Unlike this year's earlier Tibetan-themed biopic, "Seven Years in Tibet", Martin Scorsese's quietly devastating film really IS about the Dalai Lama. Read full review

Stephen Holden

It's all very beautiful, not to mentioned high-minded. But the loftiness comes at a sacrifice. Read full review

David Edelstein

The music ties together all the pretty pictures, gives the narrative some momentum, and helps to induce a kind of alert detachment, so that you're neither especially interested nor especially bored. Perhaps that's a state of Buddhist enlightenment. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

At once spectacular and inert -- a mosaic impersonating a movie; an empty-shell epic. Read full review

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User Reviews

gracjanski

Jan 23, 2021

If you are interested in Buddhism, this movie is surely a must see. You get a good history lesson about the current Dalai Lama. The pictures and costumes are also very beautiful. But other than that the movie is very slow and has not much of a story or suspense. In addition many knows whatIf you are interested in Buddhism, this movie is surely a must see. You get a good history lesson about the current Dalai Lama. The pictures and costumes are also very beautiful. But other than that the movie is very slow and has not much of a story or suspense. In addition many knows what happened to Tibet, so you know the outcome.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Spangle

Aug 5, 2016

Though Kundun falls short of Martin Scorsese's greatest works, it is still incredibly epic, stirring, and engaging one. Part biographical look at the early years of the current Dalai Lama and part insight into the issues between Tibet and China, the film has a lot going for it. TheThough Kundun falls short of Martin Scorsese's greatest works, it is still incredibly epic, stirring, and engaging one. Part biographical look at the early years of the current Dalai Lama and part insight into the issues between Tibet and China, the film has a lot going for it. The cinematography from Roger Deakins is awe inspiring at times, especially when it comes to its use of candlelight. The score is also fantastic and accents the film very well, while giving it the epic feel to match its wide scope. That said, the film does have structural issues to the point that it can be somewhat disjointed. The vast majority of the scenes work very well, but they feel entirely off when put next to each other. As a vignette into the early life of the Dalai Lama, it is brilliant, yet unclear and emotionally distant, never packing the punch it should. Fortunately, strong acting makes up for this, but this is definitely Scorsese-lite, never reaching the cohesive picture it absolutely could. Yet, its ambition and beauty cannot be underrated and is a worthy take on the Dalai Lama and his role in Tibetan culture. Overall, Kundun is a good film that is simply held back by story issues which prevent the film from reaching the heights Scorsese aimed for.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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26	#26 Best Movie of 1997
97	#97 Most Discussed Movie of 1997
60	#60 Most Shared Movie of 1997