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Mongol (2007)
71 out of 86 people found the following comment useful :-
Great film, 11 September 2007
Author: Laurie Duncan from United States
I saw this last week at the Toronto film festival and loved it. Many of the people in my group did not want to see it because they were not interested in the subject matter and ended up loving the film. It seemed to be the overall favorite of the group (we saw 12 films in Toronto). There is a fair amount of blood so if one is bothered by violence, you may not enjoy it. In some ways it reminded me of Braveheart because you learned about the history, but there was also beautiful cinematography, landscapes, and very well done battle scenes. This film could possibly be in the running for the best foreign film Oscar.
37 out of 44 people found the following comment useful :-
Epic Movie, Leaving me wanting to Learn More, 8 September 2007
Author: Jamester from Canada
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
One sign of a strong movie for me is that after the movie ends is that the story engaged that I want to understand more about the characters. This did it for me. I'm ready to research and read more about Mongolia's history.
Before I went into the Toronto International Film Festival screening of this movie, all I knew about this was that it had something to do with 'Genghis Khan' -- the leader of Mongolia at its height, So here I am thinking -- it's the life of Genghis Khan, warring, fighting, and so on and so forth.
But this is where the unexpected pulled apart. What I really liked were the human touch elements: you got to know of the khan (leader of a general group/tribe in Mongolia) through the events that surrounded him: assassination, jealousy, wife-stealing, loyalty, and lawlessness. His motivations to unite were sprinkled throughout the events that surrounded his life. His humanity shone through nicely. And instead of a series of fighting scenes, the highs and the lows really made for a very full movie.
Check it out if you have the opportunity to do so as it may not get wide North American release.
The director was present for this and he proclaimed it took 4 years, 600 people (production, I presume), and 1000 extras to come up with this very large yet very accessible epic drama! Wow! Sometimes bleak landscape, yurts, and the Mongolian steppes provide the right backdrop against an awesome sound-track for this very human tale.
Great work! Highly recommended.
37 out of 54 people found the following comment useful :-
Interesting film!, 11 October 2007
Author: Vjacheslav Anisimov (kajfash) from Lvov, Ukraine
I was really appreciated, and somehow surprised. Russian guys already have strong skills to create well looking cinema pictures. There are many good ideas for films, but most of them are gone due to bad picture format to show them on the big cinema screen. This one has been implemented really on high level. So I was surprised. Plot line focused well on all primary life points. I was in the satisfied state during all 2h of the film. The one thing why not 10 of 10 is that battles too small and too short. It could be better if there were at least 2 times more of the battles. So the question is "to watch or not to watch?". My answer: Yes! Specially for Russian-spoken peoples.
15 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
Beautifully Filmed Historical Epic., 28 November 2007
Author: dt10111 from United States
While the plot contained some dubious twists and had rather strange and slow pacing, the overall effect of this movie is stellar. The cinematography rivals, while being similar to, movies such as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". The score was amazing. The acting was, to my English speaking eyes and ears, convincing. The few combat scenes were filmed and choreographed to great effect. I am not sure how historically accurate this movie is, but it works as an enchanting piece of cinema. Highly recommended to anyone who likes art films and historical epics. Seriously, the locations make me want to take a vacation to the steppes immediately.
9 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
Look up your history before you knock this, 9 April 2008
Author: Thesquiddemuerte from United States
To the above two comments.
You know how they say history was written by the victors? That's true for everyone but the Mongols. Most of their history was written by the Chinese, Russians, Arabs, and other conquered peoples who had an interest in perpetuating Genghis Khan = bloodthirsty savage.
The movie is based on one of the few sources about Genghis khan written in Mongolian. It's called the secret history of the Mongols and was written shortly after he died as a record for the Mongolian royal family. He was just a chieftain's's son of a very minor tribe. That's what makes this story so impressive, he didn't start out as a king or a prince with a huge army, like Alexander. Everything he had, he had to earn. He didn't get to be Genghis Khan until he was in his 30's. He was always aware of how victory wasn't assured but had to be paid for with planning and strategy. He wasn't a saint by any means but he wasn't an unthinking savage. This movie is actually meant to be the first in a trilogy with the second one probably detailing his conquest of north china and the third the conquest of the Khwarezim empire in Iran and Afghanistan.
This is an approach that I like because the Alexander movie died on account of it trying to condense all of his conquests into one movie.
9 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
More than just an epic war tale, deserves a standing ovation., 21 March 2008
Author: shiva roy from India
This film is an example of an extremely strong narrative accompanied by excellent cinematography and superbly executed war scenes... reminds me of Saving Pvt Ryan without all the bangs and clatter. The acting is also commendable. There seems to be a great deal of research that has gone into the subject and is a great eduction on the early life of Chengiz Khan. I wish there was more, but for the integrity of the subject I think the makers have done justice to the story. Would really appreciate if this made into a trilogy, but I don't think the film makers have left any scope to stretch it further. They have compressed a epic life tale into a little more than an hour and a half and with great flair and ease which is calls for a standing ovation. Lesson to Indian Film makers!!!
13 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
Great primer for a international audience unfamiliar with Ghengis Khan, 10 December 2007
Author: excranz from United States
Saw this flick last night and I really loved it. As I understand it many Mongolians hate the film for historical inaccuracies and a heavily accented cast (the lead is from Japan) but if you are unfamiliar with the area and culture you'll find a great story that brings a new light to a historical figure that a surprisingly large portion of the world reviles.
The cinematography is gorgeous and the subtitle script is excellent.
What really makes this film great are the performances and the action scenes.
When he gains followers and unites Mongolia you understand why.
Hopefully the film will get people to read more about the original man and discover the historical inaccuracies.
Of course as historical accuracies go it much more accurate then Elizabeth: The Golden Age.
3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
An epic vision that works better as a work of fiction, 8 May 2008
Author: movieman430 from United States
Sergei Bodrov's Mongol provides something of a biography of the early years of Genghis Khan, at this point known as Temudjin. The film is destined to be historically flawed as there is little known about his life; this being said, Bodrov takes large handfuls of creative license. Bodrov's Mongol attempts to capture a man's rise to power in just two hours without making a rushed film; this impossible feat is Mongol's only true shortcoming.
Mongol is very much a "based off a true story" kind of movie. We certainly aren't seeing the true Genghis Khan. The film is riddled with historical inaccuracies, he is captured three times during the film, in reality he was only captured once. However, historical accuracy is not Bodrov's intent. Sergei Bodrov, grew up in the Soviet Union, a place where Genghis Khan is painted as a vicious killing machine. Mongol attempts to humanize him. This is the film's strongest point.
Mongol is just a good love story. Temudjin picks a bride at age nine named Börte and is set to wed her in five years. Soon after his father, a Khan, is killed. Betrayed by those his father used to command, Temudjin is left with nothing and swears to take it all back. This is the basic premise of Mongol. The relationship between Temudjin and Börte is portrayed as beautifully simple love. The film uses this connection to move the plot rather than bloody violence. Mongol does, however, contain several spectacular battles. Bodrov seems to have taken a page out of 300 and we're given a splattering of death sequences that while all together different feel and are shot similarly.
The largest flaw of the film is it's continuity. Bodrov, in order to condense the story under 120 minutes constantly cuts scenes in half. He will start a conflict and cut to it being over, leaving the audience to infer what happened. This is a double edged sword, on one hand it frees up time for necessary character development, on the other it makes the film feel choppy. Mongol is one of the few films that should be 15 minutes longer.
In the end, Sergei Bodrov's Mongol is an epic war film that succeeds not only on that level, but as a beautiful love story. The breathtaking landscapes of Mongolia provide an awe inspiring backdrop for the action on the screen. Mongol is a film of proportions not usually seen in Russian or Asian cinema. It delivers on a level that rivals if not surpasses many Hollywood blockbusters while keeping surprising heart evident throughout the film. Mongol truly is an inspiring film not only for the eyes.
3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Mongol Movie Review by The Massie Twins, 6 April 2008
Author: joel massie (MoviePulse_dot_net) from www.MoviePulse.net
An intricate examination of the life of Temudjin and his journey to becoming Genghis Khan, Sergei Bodrov's Mongol awes with gorgeous imagery, visceral battles, and powerful storytelling. As epic as the film feels though, it leaves you with the desire for more – both in the jumps in the Khan's ascent to ruler and in his reshaping of a kingdom once such power is attained.
While many have heard of the historic conquests of Genghis Khan, few probably know the story of his rise to power. In fact, no one probably knows the real story, as historical records of his early life are scarce and often conflicting. But here a grand tale is told, with enough embellishments and creative liberties to portray an honorable leader and the events that shaped his eventual quest to unite a people. Whether any of it is true or not, the hardships, betrayals, vengeance, and warring that Mongol inflicts upon Temudjin makes for entertaining storytelling. The culture and customs of the Mongolian people remain genuine, and such traditions and presentation create the authenticity required to believe in the noble leader and his perilous undertaking.
Though marketed primarily as an action epic, Mongol focuses heavily on the love story that envelopes much of Temudjin's young adulthood and the tumultuous relationships with other Khans that lead to many of the major conflicts he faces. Continually separated from each other, Temudjin and his wife Borte must alternatingly rescue each other from dire situations, and the film suggests that his wife's strong character played an important role in the Khan's decisions. Temudjin's mission to rescue Borte brings him in contact with Jamukha and through ensuing misunderstandings and backstabbing tactics they eventually become bitter enemies. Though their warring again leaves him apart from Borte, their love transcends anything that might distance them. Revenge and betrayal also play heavily into Temudjin's tortured childhood and his numerous enemies constantly seek to destroy all that he has accomplished.
While bloody warfare and intense battles are certainly a highlight, the film's strongest feature lies in exceptional acting by a diverse group of talent. Tadanobu Asano gives a solemn, commanding performance as the Khan plagued by ever more harrowing obstacles and creates a heroic character both intriguing and compelling. His unfaltering wife Borte is played with compassion and power by the understated Khulan Chuluun, and the scene-stealing Honglei Sun provides a villain with intelligence, malevolence, and bouts of crazed lunacy.
Reminiscent of the progression of Kingdom of Heaven, Mongol depicts the wondrous events that lead up to an even more monumental feat, and we're left with only our preconceived notions and a brief written epilogue that informs us that this is only the beginning. The early life of Genghis Khan that Bodrov has envisioned is fascinating enough that we want to see what happens next, and we might as rumors of a trilogy surface, but for now an epic beginning will have to suffice.
- The Massie Twins
3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Fantastically realistic, 5 April 2008
Author: PADRAEG SULLIVAN from United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
Wonderful story of how any man gains such power via leadership. Altho perhaps sketchy on history, one can realistically suspend disbelief and feel the force of all the tribes, nature & the emotions of all the players changing for reasons that invite the viewer to participate in the drama.
Don't worry about the 'missing years,' many still wonder about those same missing years of the Messiah! That makes the mystery...
The ability of this leader to harness his own spirits, to rise to any required level of intensity, to accomplish anything, is truly inspiring. It is believable that the hero is NOT such a cruel brute, that is not the way to inspire the best people to follow.
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