for about a dozen year and it be hard to find too many film richard gere make which weren not interesting and well make . this be no exception . once again and he deliver the good and be involve in an interesting story . gere and a follower and i believe and of the dalai lama whom the communist force out of tibet and use this film to get his shot in at his mentor enemy . anyone who think this be just a coincidence be pretty naive . nonetheless and the fact support the film stark and brutal portrayal of communist china leadership . at the very least and it show a regime unwilling to hear both side of a story . ( hollywood have often give the same treatment to the u. s. government and show it more often in a corrupt light and which be ludicrous compare to restrictive communist china . ) anyway and gere really dominate this film and be in almost every scene . this be your basic frame up then prove your innocence in court story . it keep your attention throughout although i think the end be a bit confusing because thing happen almost too fast for the viewer to take in . at two hour and the film could have be trim a tad but the lull in here be not much . overall and an underrated film and unjustly criticize by the national critic and most of whom do not like it when communism be bash .