Review of Kundun (1997) by Henry M — 04 Oct 2008

Martin Scorsese?s film Kundun that lacks compassion and sympathy as it tells the story of some of the most oppressed people in the world. It tells the story of the fourteenth Dalai Lama, the spiritual and political leader of Tibet.

Starting in the 1930s, the story shows how they went to a remote village to discover the little boy they decided was the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. When watching the film it is hard to believe that this little boy who still bickers with his siblings will one day be a leader. But to make sure that this is who they have come to see a test is given to see if this boy really is the reincarnation of the thirteenth Dalai Lamas. Several items belonging to the previous Dalai Lama are laid out before the boy alongside some other items. The child is asked if he recognizes any of the items as his own. The boy picks correctly, proving that he is the new, and the old, Dalai Lama. After that the boy and his family are taken away from their village and brought into their own house and their own servants. The boy is raised as the reincarnation of the Lama's spirit and the future leader of a nation. The movie goes on and tells the life story of the leader I particularly like how the story is told because it is told from the point of view of the Dalai Lama. It is not a movie made for beauty but rather information.

The movie is related to world religion in that it tells the story of one of the most spiritual leaders of all times. His spirituality in itself is the definition of someone that is in touch with their religion. And Kundun is a very big part of the Buddhist religion.

This was a very interesting and informative movie and I would really use this as a teaching tool for world religions and world history.