On VOD and digital March 8th 2024 from Omnibus Entertainment
Based on the life of Princess Khutulun of Mongolia, this film follows her life from when she is to be given in marriage and up into her adventures saving her people and her land.
Written by Shuudertsetseg Baatarsuren and Boldkhuyag Damdinsuren and directed by S. Baasanjargal and Shuudertsetseg Baatarsuren, The Princess Warrior is an interesting story about a Princess who takes the reign in saving her people and who doesn’t just sit on her hands waiting to be rescued. The story here is a newer one that is based on true events and hasn’t been seen a ton of times, so it does give it a bit of an advantage there with just that. As for the writing, the film does have some predictability throughout and is not exactly the best written movie, but it is entertaining. The direction does a lot with the story and brings both a few fun fight scenes and some beautiful sequences here and there. Overall, the film is one that will have a limited appeal, but for those who are into this type of film, it’s a fun one to watch.
The lead and titular character is played by Tsedoo Munkhbat who does good work being both a badass and a multifaceted character throughout. She sells the princess aspect as well as the warrior aspect of her character quite well. She is the center of the story here and does the most out of it. On the other side of the story, Munkhtumur Dondov plays a fun villain, one who seems to enjoy himself while being just despicable. His performance is welcomed and steals a few scenes throughout the film. The cast overall does good work here with a few off scenes here and there, but that is not entirely a problem as the film makes up for it moving at a decent pace and bringing in action scenes that really keep the film moving and the viewer involved.
As this is a historical drama action film, there is that historical aspect to things that comes into play for the costumes and the settings. Most of the film takes place outside, so the decor is basically nature with a few tents here and there, thus keeping it simple and making it simpler for those handling decor to keep it closer to the time period. The costumes here are lovely, but as someone who doesn’t know enough about that era in that area of the world, it is difficult to say if they are historically accurate.
Of course, all of this works because of the cinematography by B. Ganbat who frames the scenes beautifully and elevates the film throughout. The budget here is clearly a bit limited, but the solid camera work and good editing help make the film more than its budget and limitations.
The Princess Warrior is a good addition to the historical drama action subgenre, giving the viewer a princess who can fight and who is not afraid to throw a punch. The film has some fun fight scenes, the acting is a bit uneven, and there are a few story stretches that could have used a bit more editing, but in general, it’s a fun watch and one that brings us another badass princess to join the too small ranks.