Seven Years in Tibet

Directed By Jean-Jacques Annaud
Running Time: 2:15
Text Version

Brad Pitt stars as Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountain climber, who along with a group of men in 1939 tries to climb Nanga Parbat, one of the highest peaks in the Himalayas. Bad storms force the group off the mountain, where they are arrested by British soldiers. Britain has just entered the war, and any and all enemies on British soil are to be arrested and thrown in jail. After various escape attempts Heinrich, along with Peter Aufschnaiter (David Thewlis) finally get out, and set out for Tibet. After two years of hiking through the Himalayas, they manage to get into the city of Lhasa in Tibet. Lhasa is a forbidden city, not to be entered into by any foreigners. While there Heinrich befriends His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Heinrich becomes his tutor, teaching all about the world the young boy can't yet see. And when China threatens to invade Tibet, it is the young Dalai Lama who teaches Harrer what the world truly is all about.

While Brad Pitt may get his name above the title, and while the movie may be based on the actual story of Heinrich Harrer, it is the young Jamyang Wang Chuck, who plays the 14 year old Dalai Lama, that makes this movie work. The entire story of Harrer getting to Tibet isn't all that wonderful. He is a Nazi sympathizer (a fact only found out a few months ago, but something which evidently hasn't hurt the movie at all), and he is an ego-maniac, looking out only for himself. When he finally reaches Lhasa, the story begins to take off. It amazes me how an entire country could follow a young boy. The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader to millions of people, but he is chosen at such a young age, it is impossible for him to know what he is supposed to do. But with the help of Harrer, he learns much about the outside world, while at the same time, teaching Harrer about his world, and what he needs to do to become more spiritual himself. I found myself a little bored with the first 45 minutes or so of this movie, but when Harrer and Aufschnaiter finally reach Lhasa, I really enjoyed it. The landscapes are spectacular, and the intricate details of the monestaries and artwork are amazing. Any time a movie actually gets some emotion out of you, whether it be fear, laughter, sadness or anger, it's a good movie. This one manages to get all of those emotions out.