Rolling Stone
"...A transcendent story of faith....An amazement, a film of beauty and consequence..." 01/22/1998 p.61-2Sight and Sound
"...A movie that uses its visual and aural palette to build something almost indescribable, revelatory and profoundly moving..." 04/01/1998 p.41-2 Entertainment Weekly
"...Pageant-like....Hypnotic visual and sonic strength....A cinematic mandala..." -- Rating: B 08/21/1998 pp.129-30 New York Times
"...A glittering historical pageant infused with gorgeous, pulsing music by Philip Glass....Composed of dazzling, beautifully framed imagery..." 12/24/1997 p.E1 Box Office
"...A stunning visual feast and a moving meditation on the difficulty of sustaining the Buddhist principle of nonviolence in a brutal world..." -- 4 out of 5 stars 02/01/1998 p.54 Premiere
"...[The film] eschews spectacle and puts the viewer inside Tibet, both physically and spiritually..." 01/01/1998 p.24 Chicago Sun-Times
"...The film's visuals and music are rich and inspiring..." 01/16/1998 p.32 Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
I admire Kundun for being so unreservedly committed to its vision, for being willing to cut loose from audience expectations and follow its heart. I admire it for its visual elegance. And yet this is the first Scorsese film that, to be honest, I would not want to see again and again. Scorsese seems to be searching here for something that is not in his nature and never will be. During The Last Temptation of Christ, I believe Scorsese knew exactly how his character felt at all moments. During Kundun, I sense him asking himself, ``Who is this man?'' - Roger Ebert
James Berardinelli's ReelViews 7 of 10
One of Kundun's advantages is that there's no Brad Pitt (of Seven Years in Tibet). And, while Scorsese is not in top form, at least he's sincere about the project. Anyone who stays until the last seconds of the closing credits will understand why the film is as respectful (and nearly worshipful) as it is. Although Melissa Mathison is credited with the screenplay, Scorsese thanks "His Holiness the Dalai Lama" for cooperating with and contributing to the production. That almost qualifies Kundun as an autobiography, and would anyone expect the religious leader to represent himself as less than saintly? - James Berardinelli
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