IFFBoston Review: Mongol

Mongol is the story of the man who became known as Genghis Khan. Hearing that, I was expecting Mr. Khan to be tearing ass all around Mongolia, killing some bitches, and just generally being epic for the whole running time of the film. What I got, in the end, was a completly different film...no less epic...in fact, this is the first film since Lord of the Rings to feel suitably epic.

The film starts with the boy who will become the ruler of the Mongols. He has set out to choose his bride, and decided not to choose from the tribe which his father invaded years before, but instead chooses a girl, who in reality, picked him. On the way home, Pops falls ill from some poisoned milk, and the boy is promoted to Khan, much to the disdane of the Khan's second in command. He declared war on the poor boy (named Temudjin) and promises to kill him when he grows up.

The film then journeys with Temudjin as he grows up, goes in search of his wife, and declares war on the tribe his father offended when they kidnap his wife. His friend helps him, and shares in the spoils, but due to a mistake, they become enemies quickly, and Temudjin is defeated by one he called Brother. Sold into slavery he waits for years, until he is saved by his wife and son.

Learning of the horrors that the Mongols have become since his enslavement, he sets out to create new laws, and do battle with his "brother" who had become Khan. In the end, he becomes the Khan, Genghis Khan.

The films is one that brought tears to my eyes. It was a film of pure beauty. Every scene was exhilarating to watch, and the scene when he overtakes an army single handedly, with the help of the thunder, is pure cinema gold.

10/10