Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

The subject matter deserves 5 stars easily. The Kalachakra Tantra is among the most esoteric and advanced cycles of practices in tantric Vajrayana Buddhism. The rituals and ceremonies depicted in this film are spectacular and are definitely worthy of mindful observation. However, this film presents the subject in an awkward and disjointed manner. There seems to be three or more competing sub-plots, all of which save for one (the actual initiation ritual itself, conducted by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama) are completely and obviously staged and/or scripted. Despite the obviously fabricated nature of these subplots, they lack resolution and distract from the primary subject matter (the Kalachakra initiation and teachings). Additionally, much of the commentary is factually incorrect from the Vajrayana insider's perspective and betray a general ignorance of and unfamiliarity with the complexities of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism on the part of the film makers. For instance, the opening hook proclaims that Kalachakra is the "highest Initiation in Tibetan Buddhism." This is factually incorrect for a number of reasons. Firstly, it presupposes that Tibetan Buddhism is a singular, monolithic entity which it is not. Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism is composed of various sub-sects, most of which do not even practice the Kalachakra (it is mainly practiced by the Gelug and Jonang). Secondly, even among those sub-sects which do practice the Kalachakra, it is but one of many different cycles which fall into the "Highest Yoga Tantra" classification (others examples include the Chakrasamvara and Hevajra Tantras). This might be too much detail for the casual viewer, but given the gravity of these practices, it is utterly imperative that Westerners do their absolute best to portray them accurately and with direct consultation and advice from lineage-holding insiders. Otherwise we are left with films like this: stunning cinematography and fascinating subject matter juxtaposed against generalized, romanticized, and mis-matched plot-lines and problematic commentary.