Dr. Venkman Reviews: Mongol!
I didn’t know much about this movie before I saw it. The first time I heard about it was when it was nominated for Best Foreign Film and lost. Then I saw a trailer for it that really sparked my interest, but I still was not sure what I was going to expect. After watching this movie I am here to tell you that Mongol is a brilliant work of art.
This movie starts out as a little film about a story of a small Mongol boy that escalates to an amazing film of epic proportions. Mongol takes you into a different world that most people have never thought about. It is a world that I knew little about and is hard to think it ever existed, but it did. This movie could have easily taken place on a different planet from the Star Wars universe. The film is based on the true story Genghis Khans early life and his rise to power. Everything that happens in this film is before Khan went on to conquer half of the world. While watching this movie you will be engulfed in this ancient world that once existed.
Mongol starts of with a 9 year old boy named Temudjin who eventually will become Genghis Khan, and he has set out on a journey with his father to choose a wife. Yes he was ready to choose his wife at 9 years of age. The children of that time seemed so much more adult than they are now. The way they talked and held themselves. They had to grow up fast to be able to survive. It is really interesting to be able to see the culture that the Mongols lived.
The story follows Temudjin through his persistence of being bullied, tortured, enslaved, imprisoned, and kidnapped. As he fought through all of these trials the one constant he had that kept him going was being with the girl named Borte who he chose to be his wife. They were separated several times throughout the film not knowing if they would ever see each other again. So there is a nice little love story in there. Through his journey Temudjin had made friends and gained a blood brother named Todoen who had saved his life as a child. This brotherhood is a love / hate relationship that is a huge part of the film, and is the stuff legends are made of. They are brothers torn apart by pride and war.
The movie is very violent and filled with blood and war. There are sequences in the film that will blow you away! I did not expect the scale and quality that was put up on the screen. I was surprised at how well these battle sequences were put together. There is a lot of detail and care put into this film. The story, dialogue, setting, make up, settings, and costumes. Even the sound is detailed! For example when someone is cut or run through with a sword you don’t just hear a slice, you here a blade cutting through armor, flesh and bone.
The director of Mongol Sergei Bodrov had a fantastic vision, and he was able to bring it to life in a way only a great director can. I can't wait to see what he does next!
This movie will be sadly overlooked by many people this summer because of all the superhero hype. This is not a film that should be overlooked! It has all the makings of a summer movie. This movie ranks up there with some of the best biopic war movies like ‘Braveheart’, ‘Gladiator’, and ‘300’.
The only curse of this movie is that fact that is only getting a limited release. It is playing at only one theater in all of L.A. I can only hope it picks up momentum, gains acceptance and begins to spill into more and more theaters.
Mongol is a brilliant and incredible film. I really can’t say enough good things about it. It’s a good as a movie can get. I you are able to go see this movie you have got to go! Whatever you choose to see always remember to enjoy you time at the movies!
-Dr. Venkman