What if I told you that one of the greatest historical epics ever made will be released this summer and won't break any box-office records? It won't be talked about on all the morning shows or spawn memes or YouTube parodies. It might not even crack into the top 5. No, it's a Russian-made film, one of their most ambitious yet -- three-part trilogy on the history of one of the greatest conquerors to ever live. Genghis Khan. Now before you click away, mumbling a little ho-hum, let me tell you this. I've seen part one, titled Mongol, and it is one of the very best things I've seen this year.
Here in America we have a rather jaded opinion of the man we know as Genghis Khan (born Temujin). I was surprised myself to discover that in some parts of the world he is regarded as a hero, as a George Washington or William Wallace or Leonidas. And Mongol is the story from that point of view. Oh sure, he's still a despot. He's still cold blooded. But Mongol means to show you why. And it means to show you why he's considered a hero for having done the things he did.
This is a rather interesting look at one hell of an interesting character often neglected by the Western world. Sure, we'll talk about Alexander or Julius Caesar, even the possibly-fictional King Arthur. But when I mention Genghis Khan, I'll bet you five dollars you picture the version from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. This film will set that straight right and right quick. Part one of Mongol tells the story of his childhood up until the point at which he rallies the forces of Mongolia under one flag. His. But it isn't a happy story. It isn't a nice story. It is a brutal story, a heartbreaking story. By the time Temujin takes on the mantle of Genghis Khan, you will not only fully understand where he's coming from, you might even find yourself routing for him.
The battles are glorious and bloody, the action seething and tense. And despite the fact that this film details Temujin's life from childhood to the beginning of his days as supreme ruler of Mongolia, there's almost no fat at all. It is a lean, tightly paced film that is as much a love story as it is a bloody historical epic. This has all the hallmarks of films like Braveheart or Ridley Scott's director's cut of Kingdom of Heaven. Despite being part one of trilogy, it doesn't feel like it: it feels complete, as though Temujin's arc has run its course. And really, it has. He becomes Genghis Khan, and what Genghis Khan does is another story entirely. But there isn't this overwhelming sense of emptiness at the end like there usually is with the first in a trilogy of films.
If you're a fan of history, or of historical epics, or if you've ever enjoyed a foreign language film, make sure Mongol gets on your must-see list. And seriously, scope this one out in the theater because it's BEE-YOU-TEA-FULL. Mongol opens June 6th.
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