Movie-Mongol

Mongol (2007) was a nominee for best foreign film last year (from Kazakhstan), and it is a terrific movie. The first of a trilogy about Ghenghis Khan, Mongol focuses on the life of the childhood of the man who would conquer much of the known world.

Before he was the great khan, he was a Mongol boy named Temudjin who was a slave several times. As his life evolves he becomes more determined to unite the Mongol tribes under one rule...his rule. But the evolution is fascinating, because in this interpretation of Khan, he wants mostly to be left alone, to love his wife and children. Only after repeated attacks, where he survived somewhat miraculously does Temudujin decided to take decisive action.

Beautifully filmed with fantastic scenic shots, Mongol is very nice film making. It reinterprets the legend of Ghenghis Khan, much as Braveheart reinterpreted the legend of William Wallace.

There are a lot of similarities between the two films, and I am anxious to see the next two movies in the trilogy, which should explore Ghenghis Khan taking over the world. This film deserves the nomination for best foreign film.