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Mongol

Sergei Bodrov’s ”Mongol” tells a coming of age story of a man whom history has never forgotten; this is the story of Genghis Khan. The story begins at the birth of a boy named Temudjin and his father as they begin to bond. Esugei, Temudjin’s father, takes Temudjin on a trip to find him a wife. In a strange turn of fate, it is a young woman, Borte, a slightly older woman than him, who chooses him as her husband and makes him promise that he will return for her when he comes of age. Shortly after, Esugei dies, the tribe loses its leader and the new leader exiles Temudjin. The director did the most to accomplish a realistic look for the film, even taking the production to Kazakhstan to film the same terrain where the story originally occurred.

Temudjin is left to deal with the harsh and unforgiving weather conditions of the land on his own. The cinematography of the film is breathtaking. This creates an incredible contrast on the conditions of the weather and the ability the child has to adapt and survive in such a land. The child continues to travel, to struggle, and, above all, to survive. The score is also haunting and provides the proper intensity and color to the film.

At the center of the film is the love story between Temudjin and Borte, while still developing the boy as a man, a warrior, and a husband. The director does not focus simply on bloodshed, but also on the livelihood of Kang; the choices he must make as he grows up, the people he meets, those loyal and disloyal to him, create the most extreme characteristics. Even the choice in actors seems to fit the role perfectly. In the role of Temudjin as an adult is Tadanobou Asano, a Japanese actor well known in his native Japan. Khulan Chuluun, in her debut as an actress, performs the role of Borte, Temudjin’s unbreakable wife and his confidante. Both of these actors perform with subtlety, grace, and deliver powerful emotions throughout the film.

The entire film portrays the character not as the well-known warlord of today. Instead, it focuses on what causes Temudjin to fight, at all. He is not an innate fighter, warrior or troublemaker; he’s a survivor. The film is the first in a trilogy planned by Bodrov with the next two chapters focusing on the latter part of Khan’s life. The film was nominated for an Academy Award in 2008 for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year.

Written by: Arnoldo Rivas

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