Scorsese had dealt with spirituality in subtle ways in many of his films and it is one of the issues that he kept coming back again. So it is not a surprise that a director who worked with brutal and violent films involving gangsters and psychopaths had made his second work on a great spiritual figure. It could be an attempt to wash away the blood and sins of his previous films or an act of redemption that would be repeated years later by "Silence" after the carnal and materialistic "The Wolf of Wall Street" – redemption, after all, is one of the goals of many Scorsese characters, so it is not a coincidence that his filmography had somewhat uncannily mirrored the structure of his films.The film chronicles the early life of the 14th Dalai Lama – from discovering him into the far reaches of Tibet to his exile to India. Shot by legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins and superbly scored by Philip Glass, the visual and music are rich and absorbing creating a trance-like state for a few patient viewers. But just like "The Last Temptation of Christ" that was riddled by controversies, "Kundun" was not a fan-favorite and was unjustly undervalued.

Well-intentioned, but dull. Seven Years in Tibet gave a good and interesting account of the life of 14th Dalai Lama, particularly the Chinese invasion, capture and oppression of Tibet. I was expecting the same of Kundun. I was overly optimistic.Martin Scorsese does capture the outrage and injustice of China's invasion of Tibet, but only to small degree. Too much time is wasted on scenes and sub-plots that go nowhere. The movie moves at a glacial pace.However, cinematography is great. Some amazing landscapes. Sadly, not actually of Tibet. Strangely, the Chinese wouldn't let Scorsese film there.... However, you wouldn't know the difference, showing how well the locations were chosen.Performances are very flat, and contribute much to the dullness of the movie.Watch Seven Years in Tibet instead.

Kundun is a movie about the search for the Dalai Llama. In the beginning, a monk comes to search for the next Dalai Llama. He finds a young boy named Lhamo, who initially seems like a very self-centered, short-tempered child. However, the monks give Lhamo a test by placing a series of objects in front of him, to see if he will chose the objects that belonged to the preceding Dalai Llama.Then, upon passing the test, Lhamo is taken to the monastery where he begins to grow up and mature. He meets Regent Reting Rinpoche, who was the man that discovered Lhamo's existence through a vision he had while sleeping. However, the Chinese Communists imprison and kill Regent Reting Rinpoche, and Lhamo meets with Chairman Mao Zedong. Mao Zedong expresses to Lhamo that "religion is poison", and they are never able to settle on any agreements. Lhamo, upon being pursued by the Chinese, flees to the Indian Mountains. At a mountain border crossing, an Indian guard asks Lhamo if he is the Lord Buddha, and Lhamo replies, "I think that I am a reflection, like the moon on water. When you see me, and I try to be a good man, you see yourself."Personally, one of my favorite parts about the movie was the scene where Lhamo is picking up the objects that are placed in front of him by the monks. It's a very exciting scene, as Lhamo initially gives off the impression that he is a very spoiled child, and it's hard to imagine that he will chose the correct objects and eventually train to become the Dalai Llama.I would recommend this movie to anyone who has a particular interest in the process of discovering the next Dalai Llama, and is interested in the political aspect and implications of being the leader of a religious group.

I saw the movie "Kundun" recently, directed by Martin Scorsese. This movie was somewhat reminiscent to that of "The Last Emperor" (the movie depicting the life of Puyi). But rather, takes on more of a religious perspective, showing the life of the 14th Dalai Lama. The movie was set in a beautiful location, with magnificent views of the Tibetan mountainous region. The music really went well with the visuals. It didn't draw attention nor did it put me to sleep. The graphics and setting of the film was spectacular and one of the best. I especially liked the scene when Kundun was washing away the sand mandala. The costumes of the Buddhist monks were very well detailed and interesting. I enjoyed the serenity of the backdrop, which really gave a relaxing feel to the film. I felt that this movie left out a lot of significant parts of the the Dalai Lama. They left out how his life after his exile, which I think is important as to the development of him today. It should include scenes where the Dalai Lama was appealing to foreign countries for refuge and aid. The actors of the film were good portrayals, especially both of the young and middle-age Kundun. The only bad portrayal was of Mao Zedong. The actor didn't really resemble him well and his acting as Chairman Mao had gone overboard. The entire movie revolved mostly around the Chinese Communist Party claiming Tibet and forcing the Dalai Lama out, instead it should focus more on the Dalai Lama's spiritual journey at the same time. The theme of government against religion is significant in today's ever changing society and I believe it was well filmed. There should be a balance of Dalai Lama's religious influence yet at the same time showing his history. The film had it's good points especially the fascinating process of finding Kundun and how he dealt with other people. This film is more suited to those who enjoy a great historical depiction of a man who went on a religious journey influenced by politics of the Chinese Communist Party. The also had brilliant scenery. This is definitely one of Martin Scorsese's best films so far.