Wrath of a khan

Bloody Mongol nonetheless humanizes its subjects | Alissa Wilkinson

Epic movies about warlords and conquerors abound—Alexander, Braveheart, Troy—and many veer into historical inaccuracy, sensationalized violence, or explicit sexuality in order to draw in the audience. Thankfully, Mongol (rated R for sequences of bloody warfare), about the early life of Genghis Khan, is a more skillfully constructed and historically accurate contribution to the genre.

After 9-year-old Temudjin loses his father, a khan (tribal leader), he must run from his enemy, who wants to kill him and become khan. Spending his youth alternately as a slave or a fugitive, Temudjin develops acumen, stamina, and sensitivity. As Temudjin grows toward manhood, he is forced to make decisions about what a scattered people needs to become a mighty nation. But it is his wife, Borte, who provides his reason for living.