Mongol

[Kam]

It was up for last years Best Foriegn language film and it was goooooooooood. Runs a bit long, and has a few dry spots, could use just a little trim of 15-20minutes and it would be perfect, imo.

the movie follows the rise of Genghis Khan as a kid through the ranks of the mongols to create the largest empire ever. i have two big qualms about the whole movie.. one is kind of a spoiler and the other is not entirely a spoiler but it's a very minor spoiler that made a big difference to me, so if you're very finicky, don't read below. overall,. a reccomended movie from me.
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qualm #1: not the big spoiler:
the movie ends after genghis unifies two major clans and begins his conquest of asia.... so basically the movie leads up to the rise of genghis and the epilogue is quite literally: "oh and by the way he made the largest empire known to man" without showing HOW he made that largest empire.
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qualm #2_ big spoiler
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my qualm... the movie follows genghis (not yet known as genghis) as a kid as he gets his own tribe and following and builds up his group of clans. gets to his big fight where he unifies two major clans. that fight harped on one very minor point that is brought up early in the film in passing. ie. mongols are scared of lightning. somewhere unknown to us, along the way, genghis cures his tribe of this fear. then when he fights to unify the two clans... he is grossly outnumbered, BUT... a lightning storm hits and his clan easily wins because the other clan is too scared to fight..... not sure of the historical accuracy but as far as a story goes.. C'MON!!!! how deus ex machina can you possibly get???

[Worf101]

Planning on seeing this weekend. Thanks for the love.

Da Worfster

[Kam]

and re-reading my crappy review above i failed to mention what made the story so interesting to begin with, was how he really destroyed the "myth" of genghis khan and made the story very real and very human, and something that anyone can relate to in terms of family, love, and loss.

sure, maybe not all of will conquer the greatest empire in the history of man... but.. he still finds a way to make anyone relate to genghis khan, and that, my good friends, is good storytellin' ;)

[nightflier]

Still waiting for a decent film on Hannibal (not the one who eats people, although some Romans claim he did that too). That's one person who deserves more credit. The battles of Trasimene, Canae, and Zama are still studied in military schools, and had he turned on Rome after Canae we probably would not have had to learn Latin in grade school.

Sorry, didn't mean to Bogart the thread. Kam, haven't seen Mongol yet, so I can't read your post until I do. It is on my short list though. 'Currently working my way through BSG and John Adams.

[Auricauricle]

Saw Mongol and liked it. I was glad that the CGI didn't overwhelm the film; the integration was pretty seamless. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't there more Mongol movies ahead?

[Kam]

Still waiting for a decent film on Hannibal (not the one who eats people, although some Romans claim he did that too). That's one person who deserves more credit. The battles of Trasimene, Canae, and Zama are still studied in military schools, and had he turned on Rome after Canae we probably would not have had to learn Latin in grade school.

Sorry, didn't mean to Bogart the thread. Kam, haven't seen Mongol yet, so I can't read your post until I do. It is on my short list though. 'Currently working my way through BSG and John Adams.

on the hannibal front, not that this may be any consolation to you, but Vin Diesel is trying to direct an animated children's series on the story while trying to get a studio to back his own personal directorial lovepiece ode to Hannibal in a live action movie. It's been rumored for a few years, so who knows if it will ever happen...

[nightflier]

Like that kiddy movie he did a couple of years ago? Yeah that was a real success.

What the hell is happening to Mr. Boiler Room / Riddick / XXX badass? Has he gone soft on us? Is it the baldness? Did some girl kick him in the nuts and he lost his deep voice? Is he on the Val Kilmer get-fat-and-ugly-slow-decline-to-retirement plan? Jeez.

:incazzato: :mad2: :incazzato: :mad2: :incazzato:

[Auricauricle]

I just never dig the guy....Hey, careful with the Kilmer ref....!

[nightflier]

What about Val?

Is that short for Valerie?

[Auricauricle]

Rrrrrrrrrrrrr!

[nightflier]

And he's a Democrat, too!

[Auricauricle]

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

[nightflier]

Oh, 'cmon Auric, let it out. Let the rabid weasel out of the suitcase... What's the deal with Val(erie), our friendly rotund wanabe Democratic governor? Should I add that he's an environmental liberal too?