The Last Shaman

2017

1h 17m

Documentary

List

40%

Tomatometer

10 Reviews

72%

Audience Score

100+ Ratings

James Freeman decides to take matters into his own hands when faced with incurable depression. He undergoes a life-changing journey in the Amazon jungle that brings him a deeper understanding and acceptance of self. Along the way, he experiences the healing properties of the tribal plant medicine Ayahuasca and the world around it.

Read More

Read Less

Prime Video

Rent The Last Shaman on Prime Video, or buy it on Prime Video.

Katie Walsh

Los Angeles Times

a fascinating and sometimes terrifying introduction to ayahuasca.

May 22, 2017

Full Review

John DeFore

Hollywood Reporter

Often suffers from hazy storytelling, but its real difficulty for many viewers will be its protagonist, who isn't the most sympathetic proxy for Americans curious about the plant extract's suitability to treat depression.

May 16, 2017

Full Review

Ben Kenigsberg

New York Times

It's possible to have doubts about ayahuasca (which, we learn, has been increasingly commercialized) and still find Mr. Freeman's resolve uplifting.

May 11, 2017

Full Review

Sean Mulvihill

FanboyNation.com

The Last Shaman is often a fascinating portrait of an afflicted soul searching for answers but sometimes loses its way with its flashy presentation and complete abdication as to issues of class.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 31, 2018

Full Review

Roger Moore

Movie Nation

You don't actually have to sample Ayahuasca, "the worst thing I've ever tasted," to smell the BS in this indulgent, unscientific quest for the latest fad cure

Rated: 1.5/4

May 17, 2017

Full Review

Shane Slater

AwardsCircuit.com

The Last Shaman falls victim to its own ambition, providing merely a brief introduction to the complex topics ... wrapped up in its subject's intriguing quest.

Rated: 2.5/4

May 12, 2017

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

Honest description of the weight of depression. Earnest venture into dismantling the self - a story of surrender that reminded me that the path of spirituality is more of a demolition project (quote: Adyashanti), than one of construction.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

An overly stylized film that doesnt hit the mark

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The Last Shaman is about unlearning and reversing patriarchal falsity - and becoming who we truly are. Magnificent documentary!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Maybe Rotten Tomatoes and other didn't really give this film a chance. I have a son who has suffered with severe depression. He is similar age to James in the film. The film captured beautifully, the journey of someone trying to find themselves in a society often built on so much illusion...what is real happiness? what is real success? What does any of it matter if you are lost and alone inside? This film gave me great hope, that you can find this again...I appreciate the effort of the film maker and of his subject. It was unforgettable and moving. I recommend it to anyone brave enough and open enough to look deeper.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

dave s

In The Last Shaman, James Freeman suffers from crippling depression and suicidal thoughts. When traditional treatments fail, he travels to Peru in search of a shaman to assist him in overcoming his issues. The documentary is filled with beautiful and creative cinematography and asks serious questions about life and mental illness. Perhaps unintentionally, it also deals with the issue of shamans and whether those who claim to be shamans are actually charlatans. One ‘shaman' is an American ex-con who supposedly heals people and, in his spare time, arranges cock fights. On the down side, Freeman is a polarizing subject, at times a tragic figure trying to negotiate his illness and at other times a seemingly spoiled rich kid who garners no sympathy. On a minor note, nothing looks less genuine than a re-enactment of a hallucinatory experience. This is a documentary, so don't pad it with these types of fabrications.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Incredibly powerful, riveting, and fairly unpredictable. To see such an obviously tormented human being, change, through more than just "the medicine" is incredibly moving, uplifting, and refreshing. Excellent cinematography and amazing special effects give this film a deeply penetrating glance into depression, ayahuasca, and the corruption that frequents money and "western society".

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Raz Degan

Director

Raz Degan

Screenwriter

Danny A. Abeckaser

Producer

John Battsek

Executive Producer

Luca Argentero

Executive Producer

Raz Degan

Producer

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

75%

77%

Before the Flood

TRAILER

for Before the Flood

67%

69%

The 11th Hour

100%

75%

Keep Quiet

TRAILER

for Keep Quiet

92%

75%

The Serengeti Rules

85%

85%

God Knows Where I Am

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

James Freeman decides to take matters into his own hands when faced with incurable depression. He undergoes a life-changing journey in the Amazon jungle that brings him a deeper understanding and acceptance of self. Along the way, he experiences the healing properties of the tribal plant medicine Ayahuasca and the world around it.

Director: Raz Degan
Producer: John Battsek, Luca Argentero, Nicole Stott
Screenwriter: Raz Degan
Production Co: Appian Way
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Box Office (Gross USA): $15.6K
Runtime: 1h 17m

Most Popular at Home Now