Genghis Khan in Epic Film 'Mongol'
Sergei Bodrov directs Tadanobu Asano, Khulan Chuulan & Honglei Sun.
‘Mongol’ may not be an obvious choice at the cinema for those unfamiliar to Mongolia and its history, but that makes this film more attractive than the usual suspects. Sergei Bodrov makes interesting choices in his portrayal of Genghis Khan in ‘Mongol’; filmgoers have to be aware that this film is Sergei Bodrov’s take on Mongolian history – Bodrov has done his research with modern historians and believes that “(Genghis’) history was written by his enemies”1.
Victim or Victor?
Is Genghis Khan a victim of his circumstances or a victor? Again and again in ‘Mongol’, Sergei Bodrov focuses on Temudjin being captured by his enemies. As a child (played by Odnyam Odsuren), Temudjin was betrayed by those who worked for his father. As an adult he is captured and sold as a slave by the town he will later eliminate. This repeated emphasis on Temudjin as a victim softens his image as a cruel leader in history, yet takes away his ‘greatness’ somewhat.
Filmgoers who are hoping to see how Genghis Khan harnesses his power to rise to greatness in ‘Mongol’ may be slightly disappointed. Bodrov tries to humanise Temudjin (who becomes Genghis Khan) into a kind, generous leader, and Tadanobu Asano’s very light approach to playing the Khan fits into Bodrov’s vision, but takes away the charisma a Khan should have. There is one large-scale choreographed battle scene which shows off Genghis Khan’s strategic mind and warrior tactics. There is also lots of backward archery, which Genghis Khan is known for. But Bodrov skips over explaining how the Khan brings together his great army, an important detail that audiences need to know to appreciate the greatness of this man.
Beauty of Culture and Landscape
That said, ‘Mongol’ is gorgeous in its landscapes, costumes and set-up. Sergei Bodrov uses dialogue to bring out the quirkiness of Mongolian culture, tidbits that Western audiences love to lap up. For instance, when choosing a good wife, it is important she has very small eyes and a face as flat as a salt lake. Why? Watch the film to find out.
‘Mongol’ takes the viewer on a panoramic journey the way Mongolians would have travelled – rapidly on horseback across vast landscapes. When Temudjin and his blood brother Jamukha attack the Meerkits, suddenly lush greenery appear before the camera’s gaze, and a collage of rocks litter the path to war. Such breathtaking vistas seduce the audience into wanting more. Watching ‘Mongol’ is like being on holiday to somewhere exotic, and that is what makes this film so worthwhile watching.
Borte as Wife
Kulan Chuulan is well cast as Borte, Temudjin’s wife. Her youth is not at all one of innocence. In fact she delivers Temudjin from his enemies time and again with any means possible, including having the enemy’s child and then slitting the enemy’s throat afterwards. But her unwavering, unquestioned loyalty to the Khan is admirable. Sergei Bodrov’s casting choices and portrayal of each character heavily emphasise that the need to survive comes first in such difficult conditions, amidst bullying behaviour on the steppes, harsh weather and disloyal subjects.
Temudjin & Jamukha
Temudjin is not exactly a saint. He becomes blood brother to Jamukha, yet walks off with Jamukha’s men after his blood brother helps him battle against the Meerkits. Their blood brotherhood turns swiftly to war, leading to the great battle scene that is the climax of the film.
Honglei Sun deserves a special mention for making Jamukha a likeable yet flammable character. Famous for his role in ‘Zhou Yu’s Train’, where he plays the other love interest to Gong Li, Honglei Sun here gives a highly charismatic performance, making Jamukha a believable confidante to Temudjin, yet turns into Temudjin’s enemy by the morning. He admires Temudjin every step of the way, praising his strategies and unbending will, but continues to engage in battle with his blood brother. Also, listen out for the throat-singing in some of these ‘brotherly’ scenes – touching yet also humorous.
First in a Trilogy?
If ‘Mongol’ is the first of a series, Sergei Bodrov has done a beautiful and adequate job of presenting his perspective of Genghis Khan, accessible to Western audiences. ‘Mongol’ is not a film meant to teach history, rather it is a drama that whets the Western audiences appetite into learning more about Mongolian history and cultural traditions. ‘Mongol’ as a stand alone movie however, could do well with more scenes focusing on Genghis Khan’s great leadership skills and his own personal charisma, character traits that have not been quite developed in this rendition of the great Genghis Khan, the expert rider and warrior, who ruled one of history’s greatest and largest empire.
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