Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful and enlightening
Review: "Little Buddha" is two movies in one. The modern day part is well done and is a good primer for anyone interested in learning about Buddhism, but the ancient legend of Buddha is the part worth watching repeatedly. Filmed in mostly golden hues, the cinematography is breathtaking, and the part of Siddhartha/Buddha is played to perfection by Keanu Reeves, who imbues the role with a radiant mixture of wisdom and innocence. I'll be able to view the historical part of this film until the end of my days and not tire of it.
Rating: 
Summary: Buddhist Grand Opera
Review: It may be that all religions are, at their heart, anti-aesthetic; after all, how does one achieve non-attachment if one is infatuated with expressions of beauty? Be the answer what it may, one can trust that a consumate operaticist like Bernardo Bertolucci would find occasion for a visual orgy in portraying the life of the Buddha, as well as managing to deeply stir his audience's emotions. "Little Buddha" is perhaps the most extremely stylized film yet from the history-making collaboration of Bertolucci and cinematographer Vittorio Storraro; contemporary Seattle lies in a sea of steely, at times deathly, blues; while Bhutan is awash in rapturous golds and reds. In particular, Bertolucci reaches an apex of grandeur in his treatment of the life of the Buddha himself: the great seeker of enlightenment answers our hopes of heroic achievement that were left unfulfilled by the anti-hero Pu Yi in "The Last Emperor." In this sense, Bertolucci perhaps "Westernizes" the Buddha; but the director works like a Baroque painter, with a demand for conflict and sweep. His gamble is justified by the extraordinary aesthetic results; "Little Buddha" is at once an accessible children's picture and a profound treatment of spiritual mysteries. The film is both idiosyncratic and epic-- a near-impossible fusion of the personal and popular, and one of the cinema's most exhilarating efforts.
Rating:
Summary: Half the movie great, the other half not so great
Review: This movie has some very good points and some not so good. First, the good: Keanu Reeves did a very good job as Siddhartha, and contrary to what one reviewer wrote below, Reeves is half-white and half-Asian (his father is Chinese/Hawaiian). Regardless of Reeves' racial/ethnic stock, he did a wonderful job in this movie. Actually the half of the movie about the life of Siddharta was fascinating and magnificently filmed. I wish the whole movie were about his life and not the silly search. The music soundtrack by Ryuichi Sakamoto was also superb. Now for the bad: the half of the movie searching for the young Buddha was silly and the acting was poor by the parents of the boy. It did not ring true and was uninteresting. A whole movie about Siddhartha's life would have been much better. That said, the half of the movie with Reeves is worth seeing and savoring, while the other half can be fast-forwarded.
Rating:
Summary: Little Buddha is just Little Buddha
Review: As you can see from all these reviews, they are just opinions, labels, judgements. See the movie open minded. Be open to the possibility of being what it is. If you don't apply your opinions when viewing it, you may learn about the possibilities and opportunities extremes bring serving as clearing to realize balance. It is not about the actors nor the choreography, it is about getting it, break through, epiphany. Not getting it is also part of getting it, for sake of completeness. ... and after viewing and getting it, you'll agree my opinion is meaningless, is what you make out of it.
Rating: 
Summary: Mysterious and OTHER, but not too
Review: Bertolucci seems to try tempering his obvious opinion of the film's subject matter as Mysterious(!) and Other (oh my!) by casting a very poor Keanu Reeves as Siddhartha Guatama (maybe if we paint a white guy, people will relate better?). And not a memorable character in the film.
Rating:
Summary: A fine introduction to Buddhism
Review: I began my own study of Budhism at the age of 13 in Minnesota, and went on to study in Kyoto at age 20. At 50 I first encountered Little Buddha and consider it among the finest introductions to the life of the spirt in Buddhism that one can find. My son--6 years old--loves everything but the appearance of Mara, the embodiment of illusion. It is not clear that this is an entertaiment flick. I do not take it to be such. Is it really necessary that the spirit be entertaining. This is what has gone so wrong with Christianity. Ministers and Priests have become entertainers. What one witnesses in Little Buddha is the actual presence of a spiritual quest. Not something we find in the West these days. Keanu Reeves is exquisite as the young Buddha. The rest of the cast is excellent. This may not be a movie for those who want to be entertained, but it is one for those who want to take the first step on the path to enlightenment. My son, while frightened by Mara--as all of should be, for we are in his grip--now sits in meditation, and studies the Kalachakra mandala because of the movie. He is wiser for it. This movie should be in the collection of anyone who seeks to enlarge their experience of life and the depth of our being.
Rating:
Summary: GOOD LITTLE INTRO ABOUT BUDHHA
Review: WHILE REINCARNATION THING WAS NOT SO ATTRACTING KEANU REEV AS BUDHHA HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB. BEST OF ALL SCENES IN THE MOVIE WAS WHEN BUDHHA GETS ENLIGHTENMENT AND BECOMES A NEW AGAIN. I THINK RICHARD BACH HAS EXPLAINED SAME IN HIS BOOK JOHNATHAN LIVINGSTONE...WHEN THE THE SEAGUL BECOMES NEW AGAIN AFTER SO MANY HARDSHIPS.
Rating:
Summary: Moving, touching, even inspiring beginner's story of Buddha
Review: I have seen this movie five or six times, now, and each time I find something new and significant in it. Keanu Reeves was just fine, who says he's a horrible actor? And physically, he was totally appropriate. I loved the little kids' acting, too, and I will look at Bridget Fonda no matter what she does. This movie inspired me to continue my spiritual quest. It may be oversimplified, but a movie that's about peace and love and spirit is a great and wonderful relief from all the violence and gore and general horrible content of many of the newer movies. I too love all of Bertolucci's films, but this one touched my innermost being.
Rating: 
Summary: Muddled yet interesting Bertulluci pick
Review: I must admit that I am a great Bernardo Bertulluci fan. I think that his films - even when they are good and not great("Stealing Beautey," for example)are interesting and have something substantial to say. This film is no exception to this mold, with the disapointing fact that it is far from great - though it does have moments of greatness. On the positive, most of the cast is good, with Bridge Fonda giving another grand performance. Yet, Reeves is not 100% fit for the role - though he does give a worthy effort. What goes wrong here? For one, the "back and forth" angle of the movie is disapointing. Most viewers care little about the modern story and want to stay on the traditional story of the Buddha, which is great for those who know nothing of it. Another is Reeves. He partially hurts the high points of the film. Another factor is the timing. By the end of the film, you are and worn out - not a good sign. Yet, this film, once again, does have its high points. Some parts of the film show what a great director Bertulluci is and how high he could fly. If you want great Bertulluci, then try "Last Tango in Paris," "The Last Emperor" and - my favorite - "1900."
Rating:
Summary: disjointed, but has some beautiful scenes
Review: i cant imagine why Bertolucci made the parents so excrutiatingly difficult to watch-chris isaak's acting was unbearable. the modern day scenes are bad, the other buddha scenes and story i really enjoyed. i could not get past keanu reeves with that wig being siddhartha, just could not, even though he did a fine job. i'd call it an interesting movie, with some enjoyable scenes of enlightenment, but sure seemed very uneven overall.
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