Movies: Mongol

"Mongol" is a slightly fictionalized biopic about Genghis Khan, the larger-than-life Mongolian leader. The movie's directed by Sergei Bodrov, but shot entirely in the Mongolian language, which is a huge boon to viewer immersion. The film covers the first part of Genghis Khan's life, from early childhood to gaining leadership over the Mongols.

Genghis Khan stands out from most famous military figures because not much is known about his early life, especially compared to well-studied Western leaders like Alexander the Great. This allows Bodrov to weave a colorful tale about loyalty and love, and he plays fast and loose with the truth more than a few times. But overall it's a fun movie to watch.

The battles are mostly disappointing, so don't come in expecting a demonstration of Genghis Khan's military genius. I'm also curious if Bodrov will modify the tone of subsequent films in this series (supposedly, he's aiming for a trilogy). In most of Asia, especially Mongolia, Genghis Khan is a legend, but in the Middle East (especially Iran and Iraq), I believe he's disliked. The Mongols conquered parts of Russia, so I wonder how they view him over there...

Rating: 8/10