"He who wants to build high must dig deep.-Mongolian Proverb."
In this Japanese made Genghis Khan story, it follows the same timeline as the Kazahkstanian 2007 film "Mongol," but this version is much more historically accurate. Granted there are the same characters and dilemmas, they're portrayed more realistically as this isn't a spiritual take on the life of Genghis Khan like "Mongol," but is a realistic take on the first four decades of his life.
Takashi Sorimachi plays Temujin, a man born to either a Merkit father or a Borjigin father (the latter being his father's tribe, the former the enemy tribe), which plagues Temujin's life as he's always judged by his lineage. Throughout the film, he constantly drifts away from his friendship with Jamuqa (Yusuke Hirayama) as his military might grows along with his lust for power, though not to crush enemies just because they're of different tribes, but rather to reform the corrupted nations of China, India, and the Middle-East so as to give the civilians of said nations better lives under his rule. And given that Temujin is totally accepting of the possibility of being killed by an angry enemy villager enhances his sincerity towards his cause for war, rather than out of hatred. Takashi was much more believable in the role than Tadanobu Asano's take in "Mongol" which lacked. Plus Takashi conveys the emotions of Temujin, unlike Asano who was too spiritually involved with himself to give any sense of a human element to himself. So overall, Takashi's acting is the best in the film, while the chemistry between him and Yusuke was perfect, despite the little screen time they share together.
Rei Kikukawa plays Borte Ujin, Temujin's Onggirat wife {accurate unlike "Mongol" which stated she was Merkit] whose performance conveys more sympathies than Khulan's take on the character, as like Takashi, she's much more humanized rather than just being played off as the wife on the sidelines. Her caring for Temujin's son Jochi (Ken'ichi Matsuyama) [translation: Outsider] is more sincere as Jochi is seen growing up in the film. The key to the onscreen relationship between them was that Jochi was resented by Temujin, who feared like others in his tribe that Jochi was born of a Merkit father (possibly conceived during Borte's absence from Temujin's tribe having been kidnapped by the Merkits), which would be a stain on Temujin's family. Rei's presence in the film is also more notable, as she and Mayumi Wakamura who plays Temujin's mother Hoelun are great influences on Temujin's life, and even his militaristic decisions in regards to what's best for their family. The film properly depicts Temujin's unchallenged respect for Hoelun, which is legendary when compared to all other loyal followers of Genghis Khan.
The subplot of the film is more or less Temujin's growing relationship with his son Jochi, whom Hoelun insists Temujin treat fairly since he too was an outsider in his own tribe, as his lineage was also a mystery. This fact tears Temujin in two given the things he's put Jochi through to prove he's of Borjigin lineage, but the relationship still flails, as Jochi isn't given a very fair overview in this film, since it's about Temujin. Had the film been longer, then this subplot could've received more justice given Jochi's poor depiction in the film, while still real, it demeans him of his true accomplishments in Temujin's conquest of the world.
Being the most expensive Japanese film to date which is only the U.S. equivalent of thirty million dollars, featuring 27,000 extras and 5,000 Mongolian Army Soldiers whilst filming on location in Mongolia as close to the real locations as historically possible, then I expected this film to receive a wider release, and more nods come awards season, most specifically in the foreign language film portions, but no. This I attribute to the seemingly long gaps in the timeline of Temujin's life. For while it depicts the most important events in his first forty of sixty-five years alive, it seemed that certain things like his straining friendship with Jamuqa and the aforementioned relationship with his son Jochi weren't given justice, as by the end of the Jamuqa/Temujin friendship in the film, you don't feel as much for them together as you did when depicted earlier in the film. This is one thing that "Mongol" does better. Also, it spans a much farther timeline than the other film though is only eleven minutes longer, so therefore it seemed that several scenes were cut from the film, when in reality, it was presented in its entirety. Neither of these things kill the enjoyment of the film, or its better acting. Although if given the choice, then watch this film before "Mongol" to not ruin the plot twists and suspenseful aspects of the story which are prevalent in both films.
As for the visuals, "Mongol" looked much more like you could literally walk right into Mongolia through your television, while here the texture of the screen seems a bit different, like for example watching "Home Improvement" and "Seinfeld," both being filmed before a studio audience, but the former looking much more like its taking place in your living room than the latter. Granted "Mongol" didn't look THAT extreme, you get the reference I'm making. The visuals were also much wider in this film, and you could tell that all the extras weren't CGI, unlike "Mongol" in which most of them were.
However, having seen just the film at a friend's house, and not being able to review the movie itself on this site, then I can't account for the special features, so I left that rating blank; not to say that some of the features aren't good, since they very well could be. But either way I wouldn't really be interested in seeing this film a second or third time.
Overall, while having virtually the same story as "Mongol," this is essentially the same movie, though with more accurate historical data, better acting, better directing by Shinichiro Sawai, cooler fight scenes (though too few in number given the film's length), and no spiritual interpretation on Temujin, all of which enhances the film in those ways. Although "Mongol" seems to be a very straightforward story which doesn't jump the timeline that often, while this one does, and that for me was the biggest noticeable difference, as the other film focused more on the personal dilemmas while conveying the same historical events up till 1212, whereas this film focused more heavily on the important events which paramounted with his coronation as Khan in 1226, the year prior to his death.
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