Mongol: The Rise to Power of Genghis Khan [DVD] (2007)

Director Sergey Bodrov brings to the screen in this 2007 production with the use of stunning cinematography by Rogier Stoffers and Sergey Trofimov which shows off the vistas of Kazakhstan and China to great effect; the story tells of the early life of Genghis Khan and how events in the early part of his life lead him to become the legendary conqueror who rose from slavery to conquer half the World.This region B 25GB disc for once is superior to the US region free release as audio track on the region B copy of this movie has Mongolian DTS-HD Master Audio and Mongolian Dolby Digital Stereo with Hard encoded English subtitles whereas the American copy is only Dolby Digital 5.1 with English and Spanish subtitles the UK release is encoded using VC-1 codec as is the US but the UK version is in the original 2.39.1 aspect ratio the American has been changed to 2.35.1 ratio both copies are in full 1080p resolution but the UK copy seems to have had a better transfer showing off the wonderful landscapes to their full effect, there are only a couple of bonus items "The making of Mongol" and the theatrical trailer there also appears to be no extras at all on the US copy both versions of the movie have the full running time of 126 minutes.Comparing the Blu-ray against the DVD the sound of the horses hoof beats thunder across the plains watching the Blu-ray along with a better and more realistic palette of colours that look brighter and clearer and now watching the Blu-ray the DVD has a lifeless and dull looking with a lacklustre soundtrack that sounds muffled compared to the HD format a worthy addition to a Blu-ray collection.....

Mongol - The Rise To Power Of Genghis Khan [DVD] [2008 ]The name Genghis Khan raises thoughts of the world's most brutal conqueror, but director Sergei Bodrov seeks to change all this, showing us a highly intelligent, fair minded and forward thinking leader.With so little known of Genghis Kahn except for his conquests one wonders if all the humane characteristics attributed to him have historical validity, for example pioneering the concept of diplomatic immunity, not killing women and children, fairness, and a very simple legal code.Mongol is the first film in a proposed trilogy on the life of Genghis Khan (Tadanobu Asano), and covers the period from the death of his father to his status as leader.Terrible trials are attributed to the young Genghis with repeated captures and imprisonments, finally emerging as the leader, his selecting a wife Borte (Khulan Chuluun) at the age of ten and their future relationship. Also his best friend Jamukha (Honglei Sun) becomes his deadliest enemy.This is not an action packed epic, but towards the end there are some fine battle scenes. The best cavalry manoeuvre I have ever seen occurs when a charge suddenly changes into a crescent formation with the riders wielding two swords, (one in each hand with the tips touching their neighbours) mounting a truly terrifying assault.Shot in beautiful Mongolian country, dialogue in Mongolian, mainly with Japanese actors.Beautifully acted, filmed, produced and with a fascinating film score this is a great DVD.

Excellent film, not sure how historically accurate it is, but its very good. The performances are fantastic, and the character of Ghengis Khan is outstanding. The film follows the rise of Ghengis Khan from childhood into the great Khan himself. He’s presented in a very human way, not the warlord you may have read about.This Blu Ray offers a very clear, beautiful picture and is the best way to view this epic.

I am greatly disillusioned at the rubbish meted out by the Westernized movie studio's, they all seem to be the same and, predictable these days, so, I took the bull by the horns and purchased this film based on an earlier review on here. I was not let down one jot. Yes it is a relationship story, it is also a take on history as it can be interpreted these days, it has a cast of seemingly millions, very scenic in content, acted brilliantly by a lot of amateurs rubbing shoulders with professionals, plus, very authentic in all scenes. I can recommend this film totally. It is neither bloated by CGI, without heavy script with meaningless symbolism, it is harsh, realistic and easy on the eyes... A very potent film for the 21st Century.

An exciting telling of the early part of the Genghis Kahn legend. This is a BIG PICTURE, with fantastic production all the way around. Great acting from veritable unknowns in the west but stars in their own countries. The exception is the young girl who plays Genghis Kahn's wife/love interest, who is exceptional and it turns out has never acted before. Their are a few bumps in the script but telling as grand a story as this, we forgave them. You must watch the "making of" included on the disc, to get a full enjoyment of the production and the difficulties they faced to bring this off.