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Seven Years in Tibet
Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud
Written by Becky Johnson
Starring Brad Pitt, David Thewlis, B. D. Wong
My advice: Visually stunning.
Rated:  out of
This is an astonishing film set in Tibet in the time surrounding
China's forced annexation of that mountain country. The overall feel of the movie is stunning and the cinematography
is gorgeous.
The story begins in 1939 when we're introduced to Heinrich Harrar (Pitt). A former Olympic Gold medal winner, he
initially comes across as quite full of himself and cares little about the others around him. In fact, in the opening
frames, he's leaving his very pregnant wife so he can go enjoy a little romp up a mountain. Prior to his expedition,
three other teams have assaulted the mountain and failed but, being our "hero" is so full of himself
and little else, he knows that he'll be the one to succeed. In fact, as much as he gloats, you wonder why he isn't
wearing that gold medal of his smartly about his neck through the entire film.
Everything begins well enough but then, through some twists of fate, Harrar and his team find themselves prisoners
of war and are dumped in a POW camp in India as Britain and Germany go to war.
I hesitate to describe too much of this movie for fear of giving something away. It's complex and gripping and,
in truth, a difficult movie to review without giving away much of it's lengthy plot.
From the mountains of India to the holy city of Lhasa, the visual beauty of this movie is astounding. It covers
the gamut of spiritual redemption and by the time the tale is over our nasty hero has blossomed into something
we had all hoped he would be. And, ladies, you get to look at Brad Pitt's face for two and a half hours as well.
What's not to like?
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