Set in the 12th century in the Tangkut Kingdom, the film MONGOL follows the life of a young Genghis Khan the famous conqueror known then as Temudgin. Temudgin is portrayed by Japanese actor Asano Tadanobu (ZATOICHI) with a fair amount of screen time dealing his romance with his spirited bride Borte (Khulan Chuluun).  Strangely, the film works more effectively as a romance than an action flick.

Director Sergei Bodrov is no stranger to both lavish productions and intimate stories having directed Catherine Deneuve in EAST-WEST and the quiet drama PRISONER OF THE MOUNTAINS.  The cinematography, action sequences and romantic sequences of MONGOL work well.  But it is the continuity that is the nagging problem.  In one scene, the audience is treated to a fight between a dozen or so enemies and in the next set a year later, there are literally hundreds of thousands of troops (no doubt generated by CGI) ready for battle.  Where do these people come from and how were they recruited?  MONGOL boasts historical accuracy - the film is supposedly based on scholarly accounts.  Bodrov also reveals only at the end that Temudgin is Genghis Khan.  Why then do the ads proudly state that this is the untold story of Genghis Khan if the revelation is supposed to be kept secret?  Different languages spoken from Mongolian to Mandarin add some authenticity. 

MONGOL also dispels belief that one man kept in a cage could suddenly emerge fighting and killing off his enemies.  The scene of the rich Chinese buyer opposing the advice of an old monk implies a re-visit to this scene though this never happens.

Another problem is that Bodrov never connects the audience to Temudgin’s plight.  For one, he is shown mainly as a brute.  When shown later on to care for children and women, the question of his disloyalty to his initial brother and enemy, Jamukha (Honglei Sun) in stealing of his men emphasizes more of a conflict of his character.

MONGOL emerges as a feast for the eyes in scenes set in places most audiences are unfamiliar with (like the Mongolian steppes).  But the story is un-engaging and nobody really cares whether Temudgen’s fate at most points in the movie.  MONGOL was nominated for this year’s Oscar for Best Foreign Film.