--- title: "Kundun: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/kundun/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/kundun" critics_score: 59 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Kundun (1997): what the critics said Critics' score 59 from 10 reviews: 3 positive, 4 mixed, 3 negative. The reviews of Kundun are mixed, with praise clustering around its images and music rather than its storytelling. Roger Deakins’s photography and Philip Glass’s score draw admiration even from critics who find the drama unpersuasive. Several reviews also praise the production design or performances. The broad agreement is that Scorsese creates a richly detailed film; there is much less agreement about how much it reveals about the Dalai Lama. Reservations centre on a simplistic, episodic script, emotional distance and a reverence that limits scrutiny of its subject. The spread is wide: Slant Magazine reads the impressionistic editing as a way into the Dalai Lama’s inner turmoil, where less persuaded critics find him underdeveloped. Notably, Keith Phipps supplies two sharply different assessments: at The AV Club he finds the approach detached and aimless; at The Ringer he praises the dreamlike imagery and the portrayal of a leader whose understanding of political events is limited. ## Slant Magazine — Jake Cole Rating 4.5/5. 28 October 2019. Cole argues that Kundun is an underappreciated, standout entry in Scorsese’s work. He praises its impressionistic editing, which conveys the Dalai Lama’s inner turmoil beneath his outward calm. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/review-martin-scorseses-oft-overlooked-kundun-on-kino-lorber-blu-ray/) ## Empire — Ian Freer Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. Freer finds the film difficult and demanding but ultimately thrilling, while noting it falls short of Scorsese’s highest standards. He praises Philip Glass’s score and the haunting beauty of the richly textured images. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/kundun-review/) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 24 December 1997. The page identifies this as a film review, but its text is unavailable. The critic’s verdict and specific praise or complaints cannot be verified. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/24/movies/film-review-the-dalai-lama-toddler-to-grown-man-in-exile.html) ## Time Out — TCh Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page presents the film as an unusually simple and strange Scorsese work. It characterizes the film as an act of self-imposed exile, but the available text gives no further verdict or specific praise. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/kundun) ## Total Film — Total Film Rating 3/5. 3 April 1998. The review finds Kundun ambitious and reasonably absorbing, but weighed down by storytelling problems. It praises the visual splendour and performances, while faulting the simplistic script and episodic narrative. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/kundun-review/) ## Variety — Emanuel Levy Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 14 December 1997. Levy finds the film hypnotic and visually stunning but ultimately not compelling or illuminating. He praises Roger Deakins’ imagery and Philip Glass’ score, while faulting the routine screenplay and commonplace dialogue. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/kundun-1117339899/) ## The Independent — Matthew Sweet Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 4 April 1998. The critic finds Kundun visually impressive but ultimately too reverential, with its critical edge giving way to hagiography. He singles out the exquisite production design and Roger Deakins’s photography for praise. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/the-critics-it-s-a-bit-of-a-con-this-kundun-1154571.html) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 29 March 2002. Phipps finds the film ultimately unsuccessful, despite its heartfelt intentions, because its detached, aimless approach leaves the Dalai Lama underdeveloped. He praises the visually stunning moments and the mystery of the opening scene, but says the film cannot sustain that beauty. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/kundun-1798195127) ## The Ringer — Keith Phipps Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 18 October 2023. Phipps argues that Kundun is a major, essential work in Scorsese’s filmography. He especially praises its dreamlike imagery and the way it conveys the Dalai Lama’s limited understanding of political events. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2023/10/18/movies/kundun-movie-review-martin-scorsese) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 19 January 2001. The critic finds the film visually impressive but ultimately hampered by limited scope and a lack of objectivity. The review praises the look of the film and the amateur cast’s acting, while faulting the dream sequences and the portrayal of Tibetans speaking pidgin American. [Read the review](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/kundun-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/kundun.md