Duma poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Alexander Michaletos, Eamonn Walker, Campbell Scott, Hope Davis, Nicky Rebelo ... see more see more... , Sasha , Savannah , Jennifer Steyn , Clive Scott , Christos Nikitaidis , Vilen Azarov , Adelina Anthony , Billy Shebar , Mary Makhatho , Nthabiseng Kenoshi , Garth Renecle , Andre Stolz , Charlotte Savage , Ronald Shange , Nadia Kretschmer , John Whiteley , Catriona Andrew , Errol Ballantine , Michele Levin , Sam Nagakane , Adelaide Shabalala , Thokozani Ndaba , Wright Ngubane , Bernard Msimang , Ivy Nkutha , Alex Michaeletos , John Wells

Carroll Ballard, director of The Black Stallion and Never Cry Wolf, presents another story of an unusual relationship between humans and animals in this drama. Xan (Alexander Michaletos) is a young bo... read more read more...y who lives with his father and mother (Campbell Scott and Hope Davis) on a ranch in Kenya. One day, Xan and his folks discover a cheetah cub whose mother has died. With no one to care for the cat, Xan and his family take the cheetah under their wing, and after naming the cub "Dooms" (from "Duma," which means "male cheetah cub" in Swahili), Xan and his new friend become inseparable. However, Xan and his parents discover in time that nature doesn't always have a happy ending planned for a little boy. Duma was based on a book for children called How It Was With Dooms: A True Story From Africa, by Carol Cawthra Hopcraft and Xan Hopcraft, which told the story of Xan's real-life friendship with a cheetah. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

58% liked it

20,063 ratings

Critics

93% liked it

60 critics

PG, 1 hr. 40 min.

Directed by: Carroll Ballard

Release Date: September 30, 2005

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: May 16, 2006

Get It:

Stats: 706 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Duma & Xan Duma Duma Duma & Xan Duma Duma & Xan Duma, with Xan and dad. Duma (2005) Duma, Rip and Xan Duma
Upload a Photo | View All Duma Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (706)

  • aquateen2
    November 2, 2011
    aquateen2
    This hugely emotional film is perfect. It has an absolutely beautiful atmosphere and is rich with beautiful scenery, cinematography and acting talents crossed with strong, heartwarming and absolutely cherishable emotional depth. It has some of the best child acting i've ever seen... read more in the history of my time deeply involved in my interest of films and is a modern classic that flows smoothly with a perfect script variety of darkness, brightness, humour and scares. But most amazingly for a film of the newest generation, Duma has a classic feel to it and is not afraid to be to smart for its own good.
  • dreamfaeries
    July 9, 2010
    dreamfaeries
    FANTASTIC! Why don't more people love this movie? Wonderfully done, brilliant soundtrack, beautiful story, superb acting... So freakin' AMAZING! Everyone should see this cute little film.
  • FiLmCrAzY
    November 17, 2008
    FiLmCrAzY
    it was ok not great but ok
  • YLOWBSTARDreturns
    March 4, 2007
    YLOWBSTARDreturns
    Why has no one seen this?
  • crazydannielle16
    January 14, 2009
    crazydannielle16
    Slightly boring but okay. I really liked the music and the photography of the animals was incredible.
  • michaelcorleone
    July 14, 2006
    michaelcorleone
    An amazing family film that is right up there with Whale Rider in terms of quality. Shamefully overlooked.
  • SunilJawahir
    October 20, 2010
    SunilJawahir
    Not my kind of movie but it was really beautiful and a very interesting story. Great for all ages.
  • threefolddado
    July 5, 2008
    threefolddado
    Adventure, beautiful scenery, cheetah, what more could you ask for?
  • johnattridge
    April 24, 2008
    johnattridge
    The story of a how a young boy releases his cheetah friend back into the wild could very well be scoffed at for being clichéd and stereotypically heart-warming and sentimentalised, but 'Duma' avoids that category so easily you rarely focus on the direction of the simple, yet effe... read morective story it is. Alexander Michaletos plays Xan, the youth in question, who after a life changing incident decides it is time to let go of his faithful friend. Of course, what follows is a life changing journey too, and he and Duma certainly fall foul of a few dangers here and there. The film never pays these too much focus or attention though, and this is what ensures the screenplay is played out on a human level of depth and understanding. The direction captures some wonderful scenery shots of wild Africa, almost transporting us to the luxurious, natural setting, and we never doubt the intense and genuine relationship we are witnessing is real, the friendship one of the most adoring screen ones I have seen - I was surprised to learn, but admired the fact that no mechanics or CGI were used to bring the cheetah to life - what you see truly is reality. 'Duma' is never melodramatic, the message not at all preachy or suffocating and the story has a true, raw power; a family film it may be, but the director never shies away from the cruelty of nature, nor the sadness of loss - the film's sense of reality is consistent throughout. 'Duma' is an intelligent and thoughtful picture, with realistic characters, strong, interesting dialogue and a worthwhile message you don't doubt for a second.
  • sportsphenom1
    April 14, 2007
    sportsphenom1
    Well done! It's nice to see a non-animated, non-documentary picture involving an animal as its main subject hold its own in every respect cinematically. The choreography of the scenes is just astonishing! A nearly perfect film.

View All Duma Reviews

Critic Reviews

Michael Booth
February 8, 2008
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 abysma... Full Review

Nancy Churnin
March 31, 2006
Nancy Churnin, Dallas Morning News

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

Philip Kennicott
March 30, 2006
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post

Visually panoramic, a film that revels in making the expanse of a beautiful place palpable. Full Review

Ty Burr
March 18, 2006
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Too suspenseful for the youngest children, but for anyone older than 8 or 9, it evokes nothing less than awe at the harsh beauty of the natural world. Full Review

John Monaghan
March 3, 2006
John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press

Like its title character, Duma has been left to fend for itself by Warner Bros., which is barely releasing it. A successful showing this weekend will prove that there really is an audience for this br... Full Review

Walter V. Addiego
January 6, 2006
Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle

Family films can be simplistic or condescending, but the joy of Carroll Ballard's work is that it's neither. Full Review

Jeff Strickler
January 5, 2006
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune

[Director] Ballard's dime-store philosophizing gets schmaltzy, but the emotions seem heartfelt. And as he has done in earlier movies, he incorporates some spectacular backdrops. Full Review

Roger Moore
December 9, 2005
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Ballard gets laughs where he's supposed to, and thrills in all the right places. Full Review

Claudia Puig
October 5, 2005
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Unlike many lesser movies aimed at families, this has heart, humor, thrilling adventure and stunning visuals. Full Review

Jami Bernard
October 1, 2005
Jami Bernard, New York Daily News

I can't say enough about that magisterial cheetah. Full Review

View more Duma reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Fly Away Home
    Fly Away Home (55%)
  • A Far Off Place
    A Far Off Place (57%)
  • Old Yeller
    Old Yeller (55%)

More Movies like Duma

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Ripkuna: Mothers never stop loving their children.
    • Xan: My father, he died recently. How can someone just disappear like that? Forever.
    • Xan: Love doesn't stop when time passes, or you live in different places, or somebody's gone.
    • Xan: That's how it was with me and Duma.
Submit a Fact | View All

Duma : Watch Free on TV

Duma Trivia

  • What 2005 drama starred the following actors and actress? Alexander Micheletos, Eamonn Walker, Hope Davis, Campbell Scott   Answer »
  • what was the cheetahs name in the movie cheetah?  Answer »
  • What type of animal did the young boy befriend in the movie "DUMA"?  Answer »
  • Karen Janszen, the screenplay writer for the movie Duma, has also written the screenplay for which novel based movie?  Answer »
More Duma Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Duma. Want to create one?

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Duma Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Duma to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?