Mongol (2008)
Average Rating: 7/10
Reviews Counted: 100
Fresh: 86 | Rotten: 14
The sweeping Mongol mixes romance, family drama, and enough flesh-ripping battle scenes to make sense of Ghenghis Khan's legendary stature.
Average Rating: 7.1/10
Critic Reviews: 34
Fresh: 30 | Rotten: 4
The sweeping Mongol mixes romance, family drama, and enough flesh-ripping battle scenes to make sense of Ghenghis Khan's legendary stature.
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Average Rating: 3.7/5
User Ratings: 22,007
Movie Info
Based on the controversial writings of Russian historian Lev Gumilyov, director Sergei Bodrov's look at the early years in the life of the Mongol conqueror stars Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano as Temudgin (as he was then known), Honglei Sun as Mongol chieftain Jamukha, who was both Temudgin's close friend and mortal enemy, and newcomer Khulan Chuluun as his wife, Borte. Born in the year 1162, Temudgen's childhood was marred by tragedy and peril. But a great battle would seal Temudgen's fate
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Cast
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Tadanobu Asano
Temudgin/Genghis Khan -
Honglei Sun
Jamukha -
Khulan Chuluun
Borte -
Odnyam Odsuren
Young Temudgin -
Amarbold Yuvinbayar
Young Jamukha -
Bayartsetseg Erdenabat
Young Borte -
Amadu Mamadakov
Targutai -
Ba Sen
Esugei -
Bu Ren
Taichar -
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Mongol Trailer & Photos
All Critics (100) | Top Critics (34) | Fresh (86) | Rotten (14) | DVD (2)
When we think of the fearsome Genghis Khan, we don't picture him as ever having been a little boy. But he must have been, and that is where this grand throwback to the sweeping historical epics of yesteryear takes up the Great Khan's story.
Top CriticMongol has just enough characterization to sustain its own reason for being -- cinematic fullness.
A thoroughly rousing hunk of celluloid, a war saga that blends the sturdiest conventions of old-fashioned heroic storytelling with a few pixilated battle enhancements - check out the soaring blood globs - of the kind that spattered across 300.
The battle sequences are tremendous, and the performances are captivating, making for the sort of rousing, giant-scale entertainment that a figure as towering as Genghis Khan deserves.
Mongol, from its thrilling battles to its intimate romance, has the look, scale, story and feel of an old-fashioned epic in the best and biggest sense of the word.
The action sequences here are first-rate, the performances are uniformly excellent, the cinematography as good as I've seen in any film this year.
A movie in which acting still prevails is Mongol. People often say, 'They don't make movies like they used to.' Maybe the Russians make movies like Hollywood used to. Mongol, photographed beautifully in Kazakhstan and the Chinese province of
This would have been one of the greatest all time epics, but there were some major gaps in the story.
...probably not the movie most audiences expected.
Visually stunning, historically interesting, and very entertaining.
It's a lumbering, emotionally cold, slow-going old-fashioned escapist sweeping biopic on the early years of Genghis Khan.
... Bodrov's engaging vision of Genghis Khan in several moments almost feels like the silent movie epics by the Russian cinematic pioneer Sergei Eisenstein.
Genghis Khan's lost decade fuels a handsome fantasy.
Hell has no wrath like a Khan scorned.
A saga of blood feuds, betrayals, vendettas, and a lot of fighting The film is entertaining but more macho than intelligent.
It must have been a pretty weak year for subtitled fare if the Oscar voters sought to praise this inert, inept epic.
The melodrama is as thick as the blood in the spectacular battle sequences, but Asano's soulful performance brings this little-understood historical icon passionately to life.
Probably the only movie you'll ever see that opens in '1192 -- Year of the Black Rat.'
...an action movie that, for a change, comes from the history books, not the comic books.
There is plenty of violence. But anyone expecting the wrath of Kahn will have to wait for the sequel.
Even though the results might not be as stunning as Kurosawa's epics, the film certainly has its highlights, especially the often-bloody battle scenes.
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Movie: ID: 770677229 Title: Mongol Release Date: 2008-06-06 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 4 Status: 1
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Foreign Titles
- Der Mongole (DE)
- Mongol - The Rise to Power of Genghis Khan (UK)
Mongol tells a romanticized version of the early years of the boy who became the man to unite the great and ever warring tribes that roamed the steppes: Genghis Khan.
We meet Genghis as a nine year old - being taken by his father a Khan (or tribal leader) to select a bride from a rival tribe in order to bring peace between their two tribes. On the way they stop and visit with a friendly tribe where young Genghis is enamored by a girl one year his senior. He asks his father if he may "practice" his choosing on the lesser tribes girls, and then befuddles his father by actually selecting one. Never a man to go against custom, the father gives his blessing to the union, knowing that it will anger the rival tribe.
From there Genghis goes through several trials and tribulations as he grows to manhood as it is clear - being a Mongol isn't for the meek. I found their rituals and customs fascinating, almost more so than the story being presented; that of an undying love amongst all the strife.
The film strives for a bit of grandeur yet it is when it focuses on the everyday that the film shows the most insight. Not that the grandeur isn't there - filmed on location in Mongolia you get taken in by the stark beauty of the endless frontier. The cinematography is truly beautiful and soulful as the film attempts to present its tale realistically - but unfortunately gets a bit too artsy- often resorting to slow motion camera work when depicting the million and one fight scenes. And yet there is a certain style and grace exhibited here as well, especially in the grand battle scenes where one cannot help but think of the book "the art of war".
It's unfortunate that the film occasionally stumbles, as when Genghis is released from a small prison cell where he has been held for months, and jumps athletically down the escape route - man, I know I'd be stiff as hell being cooped up in a 5 foot square box.
It is obvious here that the writer and director think very highly of their topic - but sadly fall into the usual biopic trap - calling Genghis Khan the greatest warrior and conqueror that ever lived... blah blah blah - the exact same thing came at the conclusion of Alexander; though I will say that Mongol has a much tighter narrative and is much more linear than that god awful film.