Mongol (2008) - Review by Matheus Batista

Christina Han
Dec 1, 2020
3 min read

The film Mongol: The rise of Ghengis Khan, is a 2007 semi-historical-epic directed by Russian director Sergei Bodrov. The film was initially released in Russia and was nominated for an Oscar for best foreign film in 2007. This Khazack, German, and Russian funded movie tells the story of the rise of Ghengis Khan, from his youth to his unification of the Mongolian people around 1206 signifying the beginning of the Mongol Empire. Mongol was filmed in Kazakhstan, and the Inner Mongolian region of China. Mongol depicts the early rise of the first Mongolian Emperor, Ghengis Khan. The tale begins with a young, 9 year old Temujin and his father embarking on a journey to make peace with a rival tribe by having Temujin pick out his wife. Along the way they stop at a friendly clan’s yurt camp in order to rest for the night. It is here that Temujin meets Borta, a young daughter of the clan’s Khan. Despite Temujin’s father’s advice, he decides to choose Borta to be his wife. On the way back to their encampment Temujin’s father is poisoned by a rival clan and dies. Targutai, the dead Khan’s second in command takes this opportunity to proclaim himself as the new Khan and promises to kill Temujin in order to stop him from seeking revenge, however, he must wait until Temujin is considered a man in order to avoid killing a child. He allows him to go, and so Temujin runs away. After falling into a frozen lake, Temujin is saved by another young boy, named Jamukha. The two become friends and blood brothers, however, Targutai and his men catch up to Temujin, forcing him away from his newly found friend. Temujin is captured and made a slave, though he manages once more to escape death and flees to the countryside once more. After years of recapture and escape, Temujins wife is taken by the Merkits and asks Jamukha to aid him in rescuing her. Together they face the Merkits clan, claim victory and rescue the now pregnant Borta. After granting his clansmen fair spoils of war, several of Jamukha’s men decide to follow Temujin, causing a rift between the two. Temujins small army is crushed by Jamukha’s and once again he is captured, enslaved and escapes. Having regained his freedom and after hearing the horrors that have been carried out by the Mongols while away, Temujin vows to unify the Mongolian people under one banner and finally take his revenge. Temujin manages to amass an army of Mongolians who are united and live by three rules: Never kill women or children, always remember your promises and repay your debts, and to never betray your Khan. With this new army, Temujin faces his once blood brother, Jamukha and his father’s killer Targutai and their armies in battle. Though the opposing

armies are greater in strength and size, they are no match for Temujin's bravery and strategy. The two opposing armies surrender and are shown mercy by Temujin and are implemented into their ranks. Targutai is killed by his own men, who are then consequently killed for betraying their Khan, and Jamukha is freed. This unification of the opposing Khan’s armies allowed Temujin to become Ghengis Khan, or the Universal leader.

The film Mongol is historically accurate to a degree but does take its artistic liberties for

the sake of storytelling and entertainment. These liberties include making Borte have a more significant role than she might have actually had in these events, and having Genghis Captured once or twice too many times. Overall however, the film does a good job of telling the tale of the Great Khan and his life, as well as implements many historically significant details such as the use of the feigned retreat at the final batte. The film also does an excellent job at portraying Temujin and the Mongolian people by showing them as what they actually were: people capable of love and emotions, not savage barbarians. The film while depicting Genghis’ soft side, does well to also show how brutal he could be, thus making a historically accurate portrayal of the Khan. Overall, while the film does have its few minor historical slip ups, it does a fairly good job

at depicting a relatively historically accurate portrayal of Temujin’s life up until the unification of the Mongol tribes.