Review: Mongol

I'm still in WI without my laptop, so in lieu of a knitting update, and boy is there one coming Wednesday!, behold - a review of the epic film "Mongol" that details the early years of the warrior who would become Genghis Khan.

Director: Sergei Bodrov
Cast: Asano Tadanobu, Khulan Chuluun, Honglei Sun
MPAA Rating: R
Run Time: 2hrs 6mins
Release Year: 2007
Country Of Origin: Russia/Germany

In the first few frames, we see the young Temudgin looking for a bride with his father, the Khan of the Mongols. This is really the most important scene in the whole film, as his bride gets him out of more scrapes than even Tengri, God of Lightning, can do! After his father is killed, the young Temudgin becomes hunted by rivals who have usurped his throne. It is at this point that the film becomes a bit farcical, and it's only 30 minutes in. Temudgin escapes wolves, countless enemies, several death sentences in locked wooden neck braces, and a long stay in a monastery prison, all because he is just and good. Moral of the story, perhaps? Oh, he also escapes because people seem to want to help him even though they would be murdered for doing so in any other regime. They aren't by the way. Eventually Temudgin pisses off his blood brother Jarmukha, and it's on. The two begin a war that would eventually turn the somewhat dull-witted, love-struck Temudgin into the warrior Genghis Khan. The acting is great and the costumes are wondrous. In fact, I would wear some of Boortche clothes right now! While this movie was very pretty to look at (many of the people and landscapes were also gorgeous), the story was flat and boring. My mother and I both found ourselves wondering how such a dumb boy would ever have made it without the help of so many others! I hope there's a sequel, because, I am convinced the story will pick up once Genghis is Genghis! I give this film 3 skeins out of 5.

Until next time...