Mongol (DVD)

Dealing with controversial figures of history is a sensitive matter. Usually the result is something incredibly profound and moving (Rod Steiger as Napoleon; Bruno Ganz as Hitler; Brad Pitt as Jesse James) or a portrayal that lacks any depth or substance, spiralling not into inaccuracy, but rather into dullness. Tadanobu Asano's Genghis Khan is a creation that unfortunately fits into the latter category. By the end of Sergei Bodrov's epic saga, one has learnt little about the famous Mongolian warlord, making not only for an unrewarding experience dominated purely by visuals, but also an incredibly flat history lesson that does nothing to deconstruct his myth. Genghis ...  Read the complete review

Young Temudgin is the son of the Mongol Khan (leader) and as he is now 10 he sets of with his Father to pick his bride. Temudgin upsets his father by picking his bride from a different tribe so peace cannot be made. Temudgin falls insistently in love with Bort and says he will return when he is 15 to marry her. Temudgin is about to have his world turned upside down when his father gets murdered and the second in commend of the tribe start rioting and taking over, as Temudgin is rightfully the new Khan he is told that when he becomes a man he will be killed as Mongols do not kill children. Temudgin now has to leave his mother and set out on his own to the ...  Read the complete review

If I said this film was about the early years of the warrior Temudjin, the chances are you'd reply "who?" On the other hand, if I told you Temudjin is better known to the world as Genghis Khan, conqueror of half the known world in the 12th century, you'd understand a little better. It's just a shame that even when they realize what Mongol is about, most won't go to see it - either because it's not on at their local cinema, or they prefer something more "Hollywoodised". Throw in the fact that Mongol is subtitled and that will put even more people off. Which is their loss, because Mongol is a riveting film, as gripping and ...  Read the complete review

This is an extraordinary film - you won't see another quite like it. It tells of the childhood, young manhood and coming to power of Khan Termudgin - Genghis Khan. It has, I think been a labour of love for the director, Serge Bodrov, and he has done a remarkable job. I heard a talk about it on the radio, an academic claiming that Genghis had been seen only through the eyes of those whom he conquered, and that, though indeed a great general capable of wielding power decisively to the point of ruthlessness, he was in fact forward-looking and in some ways more merciful than others of his time (the 12th. Century). Whatever the truth of the matter, this film certainly makes a ...  Read the complete review

I quite enjoyed watching this film, I like the historical epics and have watched nearly all of them that have been out in recent years. If you do like this type of film you would probably enjoy this. It is subtitled all the way through this doesn't really bother me but it does annoy some people so it would depend on what you like. The story is centered on Temudgin, a young boy and how he grows up to be Genghis Khan, the story only goes as far his early life this was quite dissappointing for me as it spends quite a long time on him growing up which doesn't really have much action in I think it would have been better spending less on this so it could have shown ...  Read the complete review