‘Mongol’ brims with blood, but gets to the heart of Genghis
Is there hope for Kazakhstani cinema after “Borat” (2006)? Ever since the release of Sacha Baron Cohen’s satirical sensation, any mention of the words “Kazakhstan” and “movie” in the same breath inevitably conjures up images of the eponymous, fictitious TV journalist who had a funny accent and poor table manners. Perhaps as a corrective to this unjust misperception, the Kazakhstani government has co-sponsored the production of “Mongol,” a brawny epic detailing the life of Genghis Khan. Their efforts, it seems, have not been in vain; “Mongol” isn’t an especially memorable film, but it’s smart, efficient and uncommonly well-made. If you’re looking for a couple hours of generic summer action, you could do a lot worse this season. More »
