Wheel of Time is flawed because Herzog attempts to illustrate faith through the exercise of faithfulness. He runs after the poetry of Buddhism and it eludes him.
Comment
03/01/07
Wheel of Time (2005)
94 %
Reviews Counted: 18 Fresh: 17 Rotten:1 Average Rating: 7.7/10
Runtime: 81 mins
Synopsis: The title of this Werner Herzog documentary refers to the Kalachakra Mandala, the intricate sand painting meant to help the faithful visualize the interior plane. It is at the heart of the Buddhist initiation ceremony in Bodh Gaya, India, which Herzog reverently records here. The spiritual... [More]
Genre: Education/General Interest
Reviews
1 - 18 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Herzog clearly communicates an outsider-looking-in status in Wheel of Time.
07/06/06
Wheel of Time lacks the intensity of many of Herzog's works, and the meditative nature of the monks is a strange match for the wildness of Herzog.
12/06/05
Awe-inspiring for those of all faiths who sincerely hope that this world can be a peaceful one.
11/07/05
What could end up feeling like a by-the-numbers Discovery Channel docu is enlivened considerably by wry asides from the helmer.
07/22/05
Top Critic
The director made his name in the '70s with a series of intense fictional films, but he's also proven a fascinating documentarian.
07/22/05
As always, Herzog comes up with some unique and often ridiculous human behavior in the midst of all this peace and tolerance.
07/21/05
[Herzog] knows instinctively when to linger and when it's time to turn away.
06/16/05
The assembly and eventual destruction of the Kalachakra sand mandala is the cycle around which the German director Werner Herzog's absorbing documentary is structured.
06/16/05
Top Critic
Extraordinary documentary on two Buddhist rituals that bring out thousands to meditate and to express their devotion.
06/16/05
A recent string of excellent nonfiction features now comprise an exciting new phase in this always adventurous director's career.
06/15/05
Taking a low-key approach, Herzog captures the pilgrims' intense fervor. The sight of 500,000 people united in prayer is mind-blowing.
06/15/05
Herzog recognizes the gravity of his material here, and as such conducts a considerably lighter trek.
06/03/05
1 - 18 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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• Wheel of Time at Rotten Tomatoes
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