Considering the positive response Mongol has received most everywhere (including a Foreign Language Oscar nomination), I was shocked to find out it really doesn’t hold much value. The cinematography by Rogier Stoffers and Sergei Trofimov was a welcomed treat and co-writer/director Sergei Bodrov certainly has a flair to his stylings that tell me he is a director to watch out for, but it just feels like the guts of this movie were ripped out and we are only left with the outer shell of what made Genghis Khan such a formidable and historic individual.
My knowledge of Genghis Khan is equal to zero. I know nothing of the man so I approached this hoping for a kick ass actioner as well as a beautifully told history lesson, which is what the trailer and several early reviews led me to believe was the case. You get a lot of that, but none of it seems to come together outside of being a quick two-hour trip through Mongolian history resulting in subtitles at the end to tell me the rest of the story.
Love, honor and respect are central plot points as we follow Temudgin from his birth in 1162 to his days as Khan. The picture is beautifully told, but I never connected to it emotionally. This may not be all the director’s fault as the story does result in something of a metaphoric tug-of-war as love is lost, gained and lost again as if it is a metaphoric poker game of life. My disconnect may have also been as a result of the quick shifts in loyalty, something I am sure is accurately portrayed but I was never quite able to wrap my head around. Would a Mongolian warrior simply switch sides that quickly without question or consult? Maybe so. Considering I have no idea I was removed from the story, slightly bewildered at several twists and turns in the plot. Then again it could be all the director’s fault as the scenes seemed to repeat each other to where nothing felt fresh by the time you get to the end of the picture.
Mongol also offers up nothing great in terms of acting. There isn’t a performance to grasp on to and really carry on my shoulders. There never feels like there is a solid lead in the film and that left me, once again, disconnected. I will say Honglei Sun was downright menacing at times as Jamukha and Khulan Chuluun was stunning to look at as Khan’s wife Borte. However, these aren’t acting critiques as much as they are applause for definition.
Most people will be satisfied with Mongol. I certainly can’t see anyone disliking it and I think many will love it as several critics have before me. Personally I found it mediocre and I never would really want to return to the film for a second viewing. Once was enough, but it does open my eyes to Sergei Bodrov as a director to watch out for.
