Movie Review: Mongol Dazzles with Enchanting Landscapes

Everyone knows about Genghis Khan - the Mongol warlord who amassed an empire to which the world has never seen again. What the people do not know, however, is how the young "Temudgin" grew up to become the fearsome warrior and eventual ruler of the largest connected empire in human history. However, the movie Mongol proves to be a sleeper summer epic that just needs exposure.

The story, from start to finish is a classic (read: somewhat predictable) one. There is love, loss, friendship and some forms of betrayal. The film itself is executed in a way that seems somehow similar to the other contemporary ancient Asian movies in its aestheticism. The director, Sergei Bordov, does a convincing job of filming the utter size of the Mongolian steppe from its endless deserts to breathtaking plains. A lot of the beauty from the film comes from the unspoiled natural landscapes that were used in the film.

Temudgin begins life as a son of a compassionate, stalwart chief. His mother, who was stolen from the Merkits, also provides the future emperor with advice and strength. After certain events occur, Temudgin becomes a wanted figure. He travels solitarily across the vast stretches of Mongolia in order avoid capture. He is eventually found out and enslaved. The conditions that he had to endure make for a solid and believable past for one of history's most feared warlords.

However, unlike the stories of people being drawn and quartered, Temudgin is depicted as a fair and caring man in the movie - just as his father was. He stresses code and law and eventually attempts to bring all Mongols under such a law claiming he would do so even if he had to "kill half of them."

The movie was filmed in an epic fashion. Sweeping shots and large armies colliding. There is violence and action in this movie, but perhaps not to the scale that some people would expect. There is blood and some carnage in it so be forewarned if you're taking some kids or... those kinds of people.