Kundun | Rotten Tomatoes

Kundun

PG-13

Released Dec 6, 1997

2 hr. 14 min.

Drama

List

74%

62 Reviews

Tomatometer

78%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In 1937, a two-and-a-half year old boy from a simple family in Tibet was recognized as the 14th reincarnation of the Buddha of Compassion, and destined to become the spiritual and political leader of his people. Director Martin Scorsese brings to the screen the true story of the Dalai Lama. Told through the eyes of His Holiness, "Kundun" brings to life the account of the Dalai Lama's early life, from childhood through the Chinese invasion of Tibet and his journey into exile.

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Critics Consensus

Hallucinatory but lacking in characterization, Kundun is a young Dalai Lama portrait presented as a feast of sight and sound.

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Ewa K

An overlooked movie that time has left behind. China wants you to forget about it. Do not help China to reach there goal. Watch it!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/24

Full Review

Alec B

Unfairly regarded as "Lesser Scorsese" as I think people generally missed the point of the movie. It's not really an examination of Buddhism or Tibetan culture but rather an attempt to place the audience directly in the shoes of the Dalai Lama. In a way it's sort of a spiritual sequel to Scorsese's adaption of "The Last Temptation of Christ", by asking what is truly the role of being not just a spiritual leader but a Holy Man in a world filled with doubt, hypocrisy, and complexity.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/09/24

Full Review

steve d

You have seen it all before.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Yang) In the film Kundun we meet a seemingly unique boy named Lhamo and from the very day he was born Lhamo was said to have brought protection to those around him. Then around the age of five, Lhamo would meet a Buddhist monk who had travelled a long distance in search of something and it would seem that the monk's long search had finally come to an end as he set his sights on Lhamo. Later Lhamo would meet even more Buddhist monks, who would test him with a series of choices between different items in which he succeeded in choosing the right ones. It is than the Buddhist monks would confirm Lhamo to be the 14th incarnation of the Dalai Lama and with the permission of his parents the monks would take Lhamo to be trained as a Buddhist monk who would try to lead their people through future problems. I think that the film Kundun was good, it showed the struggles a boy such as Lhamo would have if they had such a responsibility past on them and it had a lot of elements that helps to relate it to the world religion side of things. Throughout the film Kundun there were a lot of moments that showed the religious practices and aspects of Buddhism such as the Four Noble Truths. But where the film Kundun really stood out is when it showed how the people who follow Buddhism lived their lives. From what I understand practitioners of Buddhism are those who seek to observe the workings of the mind and to see reality more clearly make use of meditative disciplines. When watching Kundun you can really see that in Lhamo as he gets older and the more he learns, Lhamo begins to see reality more clearly.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/11/22

Full Review

Mr. Fan

In the film Kundun we meet a seemingly unique boy named Lhamo and from the vary day he was born Lhamo was said to have brought protection to those around him. Then around the age of five, Lhamo would meet a Buddhist monk who had travelled a long distance in search of something and it would seem that the monks long search had finally come to an end as he the sets his sights on Lhamo. Later Lhamo would meet even more Buddhist monks, who would test him with a series of choices between different items in which he succeeded in choosing the right ones. It is than the Buddhist monks would confirm Lhamo to be the 14th incarnation of the of the Dalai Lama and with the permission of his parents the monks would take Lhamo to be train as a Buddhist monk who would try to lead their people through future problems. I think that the film Kundun was good, it showed the struggled a boy such as Lhamo would have it they had such a responsibility past on them and it had a lot of elements that helps to relate it to world religion side of things. Throughout the film Kundun there were a lot of moments that showed the religious practices and aspects of Buddhism such as the Four Noble Truths. But where the film Kundun really stood out is when it showed the how the people who follow Buddhism lived their lives. From what I understand practitioners of Buddhism are those who seek to observe the workings of the mind and to see reality more clearly make use of meditative disciplines (Page 178). When watching Kundun you can really see that in Lhamo as he gets older and the more he learns, Lhamo begins to see reality more clearly.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/11/22

Full Review

Audience Member

The story of Kundun starts in 1937, and the movie begins with the two-year-old boy listening to his birth story being told by his mother. They believed for his birth to be the reason why their father survived from an illness. Since then, the boy was boastful of his own existence and have shown great signs of being special. He was then tested to pick from displayed toys, and after his choosing, they concluded that he was what they were searching for. The Tibetans claimed him to be the fourteenth reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. He was then forced to move away from his native home, to serve as the spiritual and political leader of Tibet. There he was respected and worshiped upon. He was educated by the monks, to learn morals and to prepare for his soon to be crucial responsibilities. A huge conflict came upon him when communist China invaded Tibet, and caused violence and suffering among their people. He was faced with decisions as a young leader, and he felt that he was not ready. He had to travel and hide temporarily. In 1959, He escaped and fled to India. He is still there till this day, with hope for Tibet to be at peace again. This movie relates with what was taught of Buddhism in World Religions because of the distinctive culture, beliefs and practices that were played out in several scenes. Since from the beginning of the movie, there is vibrant ritual humming and dramatic instrument noises. These humming noises goes on and off between scenes and progressively becomes louder in some. And chanting is practiced in most Buddhist groups, which reminds me of how in the movie, they demonstrated several dances and chants. Another relation of Buddhism in the movie is the practice of meditation. In the movie, ever since Kundun was a child, he had to practice daily meditation and sat there with the monks for long periods. The teachings and morals taught to kundun are also crucial in Buddhism, which reflects his character as a monk and his choice to not ever chose violence.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/12/22

Full Review

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Martin Scorsese

Director

Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong

Dalai Lama (Adult)

Gyurme Tethong

Dalai Lama (Aged 10)

Tulku Jamyang Kunga Tenzin

Dalai Lama (Aged 5)

Tenzin Yeshi Paichang

Dalai Lama (Aged 2)

Tencho Gyalpo

Dalai Lama's Mother

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Mike Clark

USA Today

The film is, in many ways, a remarkable achievement but also a singularly undynamic entry in the director's canon.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 9, 2018

Full Review

Jason Bailey

Vice

It's not exactly 'Goodfellas.' But it's not every filmmaker who can create works as divergent as 'Goodfellas' and 'Kundun,' either.

Dec 15, 2017

Full Review

David Edelstein

Slate

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.

Feb 1, 2010

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Mesmerizing as visual pageantry but anemic when it comes to allowing access to this man or his religion.

Rated: 2.5/4

Nov 10, 2019

Full Review

Pico Iyer

The New York Review of Books

The effect is to make one feel as if one is seeing Tibet's recent history through the Dalai Lama's eyes.

Aug 17, 2018

Full Review

Sandra Contreras

TV Guide

Vigorously directed, sensual and hypnotic, Scorsese's film is a visually extraordinary meditation on ritual, nature and humanity.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 1, 2010

Full Review

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Synopsis

In 1937, a two-and-a-half year old boy from a simple family in Tibet was recognized as the 14th reincarnation of the Buddha of Compassion, and destined to become the spiritual and political leader of his people. Director Martin Scorsese brings to the screen the true story of the Dalai Lama. Told through the eyes of His Holiness, "Kundun" brings to life the account of the Dalai Lama's early life, from childhood through the Chinese invasion of Tibet and his journey into exile.

Director: Martin Scorsese
Executive Producer: Laura Fattori
Screenwriter: Melissa Mathison
Distributor: Touchstone Pictures
Production Co: Refuge Productions Inc., Touchstone Pictures, De Fina-Cappa, Walt Disney Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Violent Images)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 6, 1997, Wide
Release Date (DVD): Oct 13, 1998
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.7M
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, SDDS, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)