Duma

PG

Released Sep 30, 2005

1 hr. 40 min.

Kids & Family

Adventure

Drama

List

95%

61 Reviews

Tomatometer

81%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Xan (Alexander Michaletos) lives on a ranch in Kenya with his mother (Hope Davis) and father (Campbell Scott). When the family stumbles upon an abandoned baby cheetah one afternoon, Xan takes the cub in and begins to care for it as if it were his own. Over time, Xan grows incredibly attached to the cheetah, which the family names Duma. But some relationships cannot last, and in this case, Xan must learn the hard lesson that not all animals are meant to be domesticated.

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Critics Consensus

This is an old-fashioned, richly textured family film that will appeal to children and adults alike.

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Peter G

A few minor realistic elements aside this is a very satisfying & largely believable ˋcoming of age‘ film which illustrates a growing & touching bond between a 12 year old boy & a baby orphan cheetah that he & his father rescue & how this relationship develops as the animal grows. It shows in a honest non sentimental fashion how the young boy comes to understand where this wild animal really belongs which then begins a rather incredible but exciting adventure to return the cheetah to its proper wild habitat. Ballard, the director, has made other films showing man & animal dealing with nature & his celebrated cinematography is well on display here. Not merely a ˋfamily film‘ but a thoughtful one for all ages.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

One of my all time favorite films. Not because it is some masterpiece, but because it is a wonderfully simple story that is told very well. Visually charming, wonderful characters, and a great setting! I also love the music in this film. Songs like "Issa Lullaby" and "Phiry the Bird Sings" are some of my favorites. As a side note, I used to live in South Africa and the cheetah from this film visited my school (AISJ Pretoria was the school)! This was awhile ago. Maybe 2006. I was in 2nd grade and they brought the cheetah into our classroom and let us all line up pet her! She was very calm and it was the first time I had ever seen a cheetah so up close! One the many reasons this film holds a fond place in my heart.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Simply beautiful, both visually and emotionally a must see

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

One of my all time favorite movies

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This may be one of the most emotionally resonant films I have ever seen. There is some beautiful scenery in this movie, the story is heartwarming and the ending is incredibly emotional and bittersweet yet still weirdly heartwarming. Duma is adventurous, it's exciting, it's sad. Duma, in my opinion, deserves more attention.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Best movie ever! Love the acting and it's such a great movie!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

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Carroll Ballard

Director

Alex Michaeletos

Xan

Eamonn Walker

Ripkuna

Campbell Scott

Peter

Hope Davis

Kristin

Mary Makhatho

Thandi

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Michael Booth

Denver Post

It's a crime what happened to the wonderful African wilderness movie Duma in 2005. Beautifully directed by veteran Carroll Ballard, Duma fell flat in the United States because of bad timing and abysmal marketing.

Feb 8, 2008

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Rated: 2/5

Apr 1, 2006

Full Review

Nancy Churnin

Dallas Morning News

For those wishing they still made films like The Black Stallion, today is your lucky day.

Rated: B+

Mar 31, 2006

Full Review

Michael Clark

Epoch Times

Few filmmakers can get remotely close to matching Ballard's slugging percentage. He said what he had to say, never wore out his welcome, and exited on a high note. More than a few of his lesser-talented contemporary peers should follow his lead.

Rated: 5/5

Feb 28, 2022

Full Review

Heather Boerner

Common Sense Media

Enchanting coming-of-age story for kids.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 18, 2010

Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

A pure children's film with an exciting story, genuine characters, and deep messages about life, love, and loss.

Apr 29, 2009

Full Review

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Synopsis

Xan (Alexander Michaletos) lives on a ranch in Kenya with his mother (Hope Davis) and father (Campbell Scott). When the family stumbles upon an abandoned baby cheetah one afternoon, Xan takes the cub in and begins to care for it as if it were his own. Over time, Xan grows incredibly attached to the cheetah, which the family names Duma. But some relationships cannot last, and in this case, Xan must learn the hard lesson that not all animals are meant to be domesticated.

Director: Carroll Ballard
Executive Producer: Doug Claybourne, Stacy Cohen, E.K. Gaylord II
Screenwriter: Carol Flint, Karen Janszen
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Pandora Pictures, Warner Brothers, John Wells Productions, Gaylord Films
Rating: PG (Mild Adventure Peril)
Genre: Kids & Family, Adventure, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 30, 2005, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 3, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $860.0K

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