Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan(Монгол)

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) by

As an epic action movie, Mongol is satisfying enough. Think "Braveheart." Think "300." Just don't think too much.

The New York Times by A.O. Scott

Mongol -- or, as I prefer to think of it, "Genghis Khan: The Early Years" -- is a big, ponderous epic, its beautifully composed landscape shots punctuated by thundering hooves and bloody, slow-motion battle sequences.

Wall Street Journal by Joe Morgenstern

I don't know the Mongolian word for panache, but Mongol's got plenty of it. The battle scenes are as notable for their clarity as their intensity; we can follow the strategies, get a sense of who's losing and who's winning. The physical production is sumptuous.

New York Daily News by Joe Neumaier

Every performer is tough and charismatic, especially Honglei Sun, who, as Jamukha, gives so many neck-cracks, guttural howls and conspiratorial smiles he's like a Chinese Marlon Brando.

New York Post by Kyle Smith

Mongol really isn't worth leaving your yurt for.

Christian Science Monitor by Peter Rainer

Mongol is a throwback to a more respectable tradition. The largeness of its scope arises naturally from the material, not the budget. The movie earns its stature.

Empire by Will Lawrence

With its breathtaking landscapes, bloody battles, bitter betrayals and an aching love story, Mongol is a sumptuously crafted epic.