This is definitely not an action movie, and nothing adventurous or romantic. I'd say people with distaste for movies requiring emotions and thinking should avoid that.
The movie is a rich introduction to Buddhism, the life of Buddha and the Tibetian culture, with very realistic scenes about the historical events. We meet the way they choose their next 'lama', or religious/cultural leader by following reincarnated souls. (The movie actually made me look for info about Tibet and the lamas, and I had to realise how dark their fate became, having the actual lama-child kidnapped from Tibet.)
We see this culture challenging an average western family, which gives another great perspective to explain Tibetian culture to us, and how important for these people their beliefs is.
I think the cast was excellent, I liked the Tibetians communicate with the unbeliever western people, their infinite calm and understanding; and the children are good (and pretty annoying where they have to be).
The end was a bit hollywoodish but it didn't wreck the movie since the "story" it tells have no end at all, and without getting into politics probably this was the best the screenplay could have done.
Some people may go and watch the film seeing star Keanu Reeves and end up being disappointed by not seeing a usual carcrash-shoot-run-kill-love movie. If you see movies for the stars, forget this one (except if you're a teenage girl obsessed with the male star - he's extremely perfect looking Siddhartha :-) ); if you like to see a movie to meet interesting cultures, seek out the alternate meanings of life, don't miss this one.
The movie is a rich introduction to Buddhism, the life of Buddha and the Tibetian culture, with very realistic scenes about the historical events. We meet the way they choose their next 'lama', or religious/cultural leader by following reincarnated souls. (The movie actually made me look for info about Tibet and the lamas, and I had to realise how dark their fate became, having the actual lama-child kidnapped from Tibet.)
We see this culture challenging an average western family, which gives another great perspective to explain Tibetian culture to us, and how important for these people their beliefs is.
I think the cast was excellent, I liked the Tibetians communicate with the unbeliever western people, their infinite calm and understanding; and the children are good (and pretty annoying where they have to be).
The end was a bit hollywoodish but it didn't wreck the movie since the "story" it tells have no end at all, and without getting into politics probably this was the best the screenplay could have done.
Some people may go and watch the film seeing star Keanu Reeves and end up being disappointed by not seeing a usual carcrash-shoot-run-kill-love movie. If you see movies for the stars, forget this one (except if you're a teenage girl obsessed with the male star - he's extremely perfect looking Siddhartha :-) ); if you like to see a movie to meet interesting cultures, seek out the alternate meanings of life, don't miss this one.