Genre: Drama
Director: Sergei Bodrov
Cast: Tadanobu Asano, Honglei Sun, Khulan Chuluun, Odnyam Odsuren, Aliya, Ba Sen, Amadu Mamadakov, Ba Yin, He Qi, Su Ben Hou
RunTime: 2 hrs 6 mins
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Rating: NC-16 (Some Violence)
Official Website: http://www.mongolmovie.com/

Opening Day: 30 July 2009 (Exclusively at The Picturehouse)

Synopsis:

An epic story of the young Genghis Khan and how events in his early life lead him to become a legendary conqueror. The 9-year-old Temudgin is taken on a trip by his father to select a girl as his future wife. He meets Borte, who says she would like to be chosen, which he does. He promises to return after five years to marry her. Temudgin's father is poisoned on the trip, and dies. As a boy Temudgin passes through starvation, humiliations and even slavery, but later with the help of Borte he overcomes all of his childhood hardships to become one of the greatest conquerors the world has ever known.

Movie Review:

Before he became the ruler of half the world, Genghis Khan was Temudgin, a strong-willed man whose spirit could not be broken by hardship, imprisonment and slavery. “Mongol” is a film about Temudgin’s formative years as a warrior- the first in a planned trilogy- and a true testament to the old adage that “heroes are made, not born”.

Here is a man who lost his father at the age of 9 and was forced to go on the run from his father’s enemies, a man who became blood enemies with someone who would turn out to be his most formidable enemy, and who would eventually fight his way to regain his rightful place as Khan, ruler of a much larger empire that his father could ever have dreamed of. In between, Temudgin would remain fiercely in love with a woman he chose as bride when he was just a child, his love for her a guiding light through his darkest hours.

With the rich tapestry that is Temudgin’s life, director Sergei Bodrov fashions a bold, grand epic about a Mongol who would, by the power of his own steel will, rise to become Genghis Khan. Indeed, Bodrov’s film asserts how the circumstances of Temudgin’s life shaped him into the warrior he would become, a leader first and foremost of principle but one who was never shy to use violence to enforce his rules and laws.

It is a point that Bodrov, who also co-wrote the screenplay, makes persuasively and one can say, almost single-mindedly. Yes, “Mongol” is a film that is nearly completely bleak, its determined focus on the tyranny and barbarism of Temudgin’s enemies. As Temudgin’s wife Borte astutely observes, all Mongols seem to do is kill and steal- such is the harsh world that Temudgin grew up in, and “Mongol” never lets you lose sight of it.

Though its mood may be stark, “Mongol” is a film that possesses an understated beauty, both physically and spiritually. The cinematography by Rogier Stoffers and Sergey Trofimov captures just as stunningly the breathtaking landscapes of Kazakhstan and the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia and the bountiful scenes of war and carnage. The film’s beauty lies also in the simplicity of its story- the story of one man’s struggle and ultimate triumph against the odds of nature and the evil of fellow man, his tenacity guaranteed to fill you with awe.

In the lead role as Temudgin, Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano more than rises up to the challenges of portraying his character, giving a fierce performance that is simply riveting to watch. Beside the sombre Temudgin, Chinese actor Sun Honglei’s slightly over-the-top eccentricity as Temudgin’s blood brother Jamukha is a nice foil that injects some welcome levity into the film. Mongolian actress Khulan Chuluun also holds her own as Borte, masterfully conveying the refuge of peace and tranquillity Borte was to Temudgin amidst the chaos surrounding him.

In “Mongol”, Bodrov has created a film reminiscent of the golden age of cinema, befitting the era when big, grand epics of heroes we look up to used to fill the screen. Thus far, “Mongol” has portrayed its key character as a hero who overcame the seemingly insurmountable odds of his life to become a fair and just Khan. It will be interesting to see just how Bodrov intends to explore the continuing exploits of Genghis Khan, revered by some and detested by others.

Movie Rating:



(Bold, daring and ambitious- “Mongol” is an epic in every sense of the word)

Review by Gabriel Chong