The Rising Hawk (2019)

**_Onslaught of the hordes in the Carpathian Mountains_** During the 1200s people living in the Carpathian Mountains in what is today western Ukraine have to unite in order to withstand the invading Mongols led by Burunda Khan. A joint American-Ukrainian production, "The Rising Hawk" (2019) is a sword & sandal flick that includes elements of "Attila" (2001), "Taras Bulba" (1962), "Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan" (2007), "Viking Destiny" (2018) and "The Lost Future" (2010). While it’s better than “Taras Bulba,” it’s not as good as the others, although it comes close. The beginning and ending are quite good, but somewhere in the middle it loses its mojo a bit. While this is a part-Ukrainian production and was shot in the Carpathian Mountains, the key members of the cast are either American or from the British Isles. The exceptions are a couple second tier cast members, like the actors playing Petro, Rosana and Burunda, the latter being from Mongolia. No doubt the background characters are from Ukraine & nearby regions. Oliver Trevena stands out in the cast as the animated Bohun. Meanwhile Poppy Drayton is lovely as Myroslava. The score is exceptional. The film runs 2 hours, 5 minutes, and was shot in Zakarpattia, Ukraine, which is in extreme western Ukraine, with studio stuff done in Kyiv. GRADE: B