Reviewed by Michael Edwards
Stars Tadanobu Asano, Khulan Chuluun, Honglei Sun, Aliya, Amarbold Tuvshinbayar,
Tegen Ao, Amadu Mamadakov, Deng Ba Te Er, Ba Tu | Written by Arif Aliyev & Sergei Bodrov
UK certification 15 | UK RRP £19.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 120 minutes | Directed by Sergei Bodrov
Mongol is a triumph for the epic genre. It's taken the best bits from violent bonanzas like 300, and the great films of old like Zulu and Ben Hur, and combined them in a truly riveting tale of the rise of that historical legend we all know the name of: Genghis Khan. "An epic that doesn't rely on loads of expensive CGI or use a graphic novel as its source material? But Charlton Heston's dead, who could pull that sort of role off?" I can hear people crying now, and I can tell you that it's cult Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano and he pulls off the demanding role with ease.
The story begins with young Temudjin (who would become Genghis Khan) as a 10-year–old choosing his bride, but when his father is poisoned by the Khan of a rival clan things start to go very, very wrong for the young lad. He is not only usurped as Khan pretty promptly but all his worldly goods are stolen and he is yoked to a cart to await his coming of age so his usurper can "honourably" kill him. Needless to say he gets away, but his life doesn't get any easier. As tragedy after tragedy befalls him, he grows in physical and mental strength and his strong will and desire to unite the Mongol people helps him to gather the supporters under his banner.
A beautifully shot film that milks the stunning Mongolian and Kazakh scenery for all its worth, Mongol is a feast for the senses. We're treated to brooding countryside shots from every feasible extreme the weather of the steppes has to offer, we're given the full gamut of emotions from an outstanding cast, and for good measure there's a bunch of battle scenes to die for (sorry, bad pun). Some people have raised questions over its historical accuracy, but I'd like to assure our readers that these people are asses looking for an excuse to bash the film. As an historian by trade (though a while ago now, I grant you) I can tell you that the records from the 12th and 13th century, particularly for this region, are sparse and unreliable and to suggest that this account should be disregarded for its fanciful approach is a pretty stupid thing to do.
What is best about this film is that it's not afraid to play on the legend of Temudjin, depicting each of his triumphs against adversity in the most high–flown and inspiring way possible. I feel totally comfortable in saying that this befits a legend of history who united two disparate nomadic tribes and conquered huge swathes of the world. Mongol is a powerhouse of a movie, and one not to be missed.
EXTRAS * Not a lot — just a making-of featurette and the trailer.