Set in the last days of Czarist domination, Amangeldy takes place in the mountains of Central Asia. Here converge several nomadic Mongol tribesmen, among them Amangeldy (Elubai Umurzakov), idealistic leader of the Kazakh tribe. Disgusted by the harsh treatment afforded his fellow Mongols by the minions of the Romanovs, Amangeldy seeks answers to the dilemma, and finds them in the words of Karl Marx and the insurgent Vladimir Lenin. Emboldened by Lenin's rhetoric, Amangeldy leads his people in revolt against the despotic landowners. Though the material seems surefire, Amangeldy moves at a snail's pace; fortunately, the film is beautifully photographed, affording the viewer a visual feast even when nothing is really happening.

~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide