You go, Ghengis

For much of history, Genghis Khan has gotten a bum rap. And while it’s certainly true that cultures are usually unkind to groups that wage perpetual wars on their borders, recently, good ol’ Temudjin has been received with a little more kindness.
  
 “Mongol” is a step in that direction. Endorsed by the Mongolian government among other high-level cultural groups, “Mongol” tells the story of Temudjin (who would later be given the title of Genghis Khan) and his rise to power. The first part in what is to be a three-part series chronicles Temudjin’s harsh early life.
   
Like any good story of origins, “Mongol” is mostly about Temudjin catching no small amount of hell from nearby tribal groups, his own people and the arrogant Song Dynasty leaders who he would later hunt down and drown. The purpose here is to set up audience sympathy for later movies, which will undoubtedly feature the Mongol horde raining destruction upon everything in their path. Getting audiences to cheer when China is sacked (generally thought to be an unfortunate period in Eastern history) will be no small challenge, but if the second movie is anything like the first, it will certainly be doable.

“Mongol” is an epic. It combines barren scenes of the Mongolian steppe with a powerful score and truly excellent acting to convey to even unfamiliar viewers the magnificence of this story. Whatever Genghis Khan ultimately becomes, viewers come to sympathize with him, as the movie presents its version of what is often skeletal history with an unapologetic honesty.
   
Perhaps the most amazing feature of “Mongol” is its portrayal of Temudjin as an every-man of incredible desire, whose ascension to power over history’s largest empire is simply a result of his refusal to give up. In that regard, one can’t help but root for him as he escapes his tormentors time and time again. If Temudjin is ruthless and brilliant and utterly uncompromising, it is because his surroundings made him so. And when we see him raise an army and turn his sights on the world, we can’t help but live vicariously through him and wish we had our own Mongol horde to avenge the injustices put on us by the McDonald’s drive-through or IU Parking Operations. Who knew history could be so good?