Seven Years in Tibet

Name: Seven Years in Tibet
Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama, History, War
Released: October 8, 1997
Duration: 136 min
Rating: 55
Cast: Brad Pitt, David Thewlis

1997

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 18 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 68 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	Your Score
7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 68 Ratings

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Seven Years In Tibet

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Movie Details & Credits

TriStar Pictures | Release Date: October 8, 1997 | PG-13

Starring: Brad Pitt, David Thewlis

Summary: Brad Pitt stars in the soaring adventure and incredible true story of an Austrian prisoner of war who is transformed by his friendship with the young Dalai Lama. (Sony)

Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud

Genre(s): Adventure, Biography, Drama, History, War

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 136 min

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Critic Reviews

Lisa Alspector

This moving story is full of breathtaking compositions, gorgeous spectacle, and inspiring philosophies articulated by sympathetic figures. Read full review

David Sterritt

The movie is a star vehicle at heart, aimed more at marketing Pitt's popularity than probing complexities of empire-building and cultural clash that trouble the Tibetan region to this day. Read full review

Lisa Schwarzbaum

French director Jean-Jacques Annaud, who brought his interest in self-discovery and untamed places to Quest for Fire, The Lover, and the IMAX 3-D film Wings of Courage, is at his best re-creating the serene exoticism of the Dalai Lama's Tibet. But the spark of the holy that the Dalai Lama lights in Harrer flickers only fitfully in all the wind in this production. Read full review

Derek Elley

Despite some magnificent widescreen lensing, faultless ethnographic detail and a timely sympathy for the plight of the Tibetan people, director Jean-Jacques Annaud's true-life tale about a self-obsessed Austrian mountaineer who learns selflessness in the Himalayas too rarely delivers at a simple emotional level. Read full review

Edward Guthmann

Pitt isn't a bad actor, but he's way out of his depth and never disappears into the character -- a selfish rogue who gets a jolt of enlightenment at the feet of the Dalai Lama -- the way a superior actor like Daniel Day-Lewis might have. Read full review

Kenneth Turan

Though Pitt is as attractive as ever, "Seven Years" offers other things to look at and in fact functions better as a travelogue than as a drama. Read full review

Dallas Observer Peter Rainer

Seven Years in Tibet feels more like Seven Days in the Movie Theater. It refuses to come alive--not even when Brad Pitt, hirsute as a yak, wanders the frozen Himalayas with an Austrian accent that probably gave his dialogue coach hives. Read full review

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User Reviews

Dusti

Dec 10, 2013

One of the best movies of the 90s the acting, writing and the pure feeling of adventure. This is a must see for travelers and explorers, for people who don't explore the world this might not be their cup of tea. Its a movie to sit back and in joy, and not to take so serious it's political history.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

Deanomite

Jan 10, 2020

This was a beautiful movie, worth watching for the photography alone. It captured an essence of traveling the world and being transformed by it. The Brad Pitt character made a subtle transformation from being a hard charge Nazi type to a mellow patient guy, with the fall of Tibet as aThis was a beautiful movie, worth watching for the photography alone. It captured an essence of traveling the world and being transformed by it. The Brad Pitt character made a subtle transformation from being a hard charge Nazi type to a mellow patient guy, with the fall of Tibet as a backdrop. I felt enriched by this movie. I was not aware 1 million Tibetans were killed in the religious cleansing by China, that is a bummer.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Habibiehakim

Dec 29, 2021

While there is some time that it feels more of like Kundun movie rather than Heinrich, the rest of Seven Years In Tibet is stunning, powerful, and incredible.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

glomman

Jul 14, 2020

This movie is a case of something important that's just not that well communicated. I was genuinely intrigued by the story of Heinrich Harrer who gets captured by the British in the Himalayas during World War 2, escapes his imprisonment and wanders through Tibet in search for a way home.This movie is a case of something important that's just not that well communicated. I was genuinely intrigued by the story of Heinrich Harrer who gets captured by the British in the Himalayas during World War 2, escapes his imprisonment and wanders through Tibet in search for a way home. Still, the story somehow often emphasizes the wrong things, the rivalry between Heinrich and his colleague, for example, or the whole theological business once they arrive in Lhasa and meet the Dalai Lama, all while stuff like the actual War going on or the annexation of Tibet by the Chinese communists is handled in, like, 30 minutes.
Nevertheless, this is an important movie, with some beautiful moments at that.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Gamzguy17

Aug 21, 2021

At first, I thought I was in for a Hollywood slog of a film where it was going to just go "through the motions". To my pleasant surprise, I ended up caring for the characters and enjoying the details that can be found in this version of Tibet. Some scenes need to be cut out, but give it someAt first, I thought I was in for a Hollywood slog of a film where it was going to just go "through the motions". To my pleasant surprise, I ended up caring for the characters and enjoying the details that can be found in this version of Tibet. Some scenes need to be cut out, but give it some time and the film may be worth your investment.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

eva3si0n

Mar 1, 2021

Seven Years in Tibet is an excellent biographical film. Great cast and great real story. A unique film, because so few films about climbers, even less about Tibet.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Broyax

Jan 22, 2017

Une belle histoire que cet impétueux et orgueilleux alpiniste autrichien qui finit par trouver en une période troublée une certaine forme de sagesse auprès du Dalaï-Lama avant de retourner chez lui après tant d'années. C'est aussi l'occasion de revenir sur l'invasion du Tibet par la vermineUne belle histoire que cet impétueux et orgueilleux alpiniste autrichien qui finit par trouver en une période troublée une certaine forme de sagesse auprès du Dalaï-Lama avant de retourner chez lui après tant d'années. C'est aussi l'occasion de revenir sur l'invasion du Tibet par la vermine communiste, l'une des nombreuses hontes du 20ème siècle.

L'occasion également de se laisser aller dans une guimauve excessive de la part de Jean-Jacques Annaud avec en prime -on s'en serait passé- quelques longueurs dans le récit. Brad Pitt n'est clairement pas à la hauteur et mine sensiblement le film qui n'en demandait pas tant. Malgré ces aléas, le réalisateur français dispense une mise en scène pleine de dignité, de grandeur et d'éloquence... et les acteurs (à part Brad Pitt) sont excellents.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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92	#92 Best Movie of 1997
42	#42 Most Discussed Movie of 1997
34	#34 Most Shared Movie of 1997