Review of Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan (2007) by Pj P — 22 Jun 2009

Some years ago Terry and I spent several fruitless hours in Cologne looking for a reported Mongolian restaurant. Couldn't find it, and although we saw a couple of yurts at Bishop's Frome, Herefordshire, in June, there didn't seem to be a working kitchen. In 'Mongol', Temudgin (to become Genghis) waxes lyrical to his small daughter about the Mongolian language - 'the most beautiful in the world'. 'Meat' he says in Mongolian, 'Meat'. 'Meat' she repeats. Apparently barbied meat IS Mongol cuisine.

Bodrov's film is just gorgeous, with enough historical accurucy (not total) to appease most of us non-specialists. Although I'm not completely convinced about the feminist nature of medieval Mongol society, it is true that the boy may not have been Temudgin's son. Lovely epic stuff for simple pleasure. Weird blood spattering effect though and what's that bloody wolf about?