Movies Reviews
Movie Review: Apocalyto
By Anne Brodie Dec 3, 2006, 3:31 GMT
From Academy Award winning filmmaker Mel Gibson ("The Passion of The Christ," "Braveheart"), comes "Apocalypto": a heart stopping mythic action-adventure set against the turbulent end times of the once great Mayan civilization. When his idyllic existence is brutally disrupted by a violent invading force, a man is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression where a harrowing end awaits him. Through a twist of ...more
You know when you’ve seen ‘Apocalypto,’ you’ve seen a film, and it stays that way for a long time. It’s that satisfying.
‘Apocalypto’ is a prolonged and brutally, graphically violent meditation on the last days of the storied Mayan Civilization of Central America. This was allegedly a society that built massive cities, established trades with outlying populations, pondered science, arts, mathematics and astronomy, in short, gloried in all good things. They had abundant food, good climate and healthy lifestyle and could have lasted forever, but, alas, nothing does.
Mayan ruins tell us many things; that the Mayans had an absolute monarchy and practiced human sacrifice. Gibson has brought it all back to vivid, blood red life.
The forces that lead to the destruction of the Mayans were inevitable and implacable, and are no doubt true for the rest of the world’s dead cultures.
This particular story is an extended chase, an action thriller that stands up to any contemporary testosterone fueled example. Chases are chases throughout history and they are thrilling and utterly engaging. They are stopped only by cataclysm.
The overwhelming sensation of Apocalypto is fear. Fear is in most frames of its 2 hours and 26 minutes running time. It’s in the eyes, the heartbeat, the stirrings of jungle leaves, the roar of a predatory cat, the sound of an arrow splitting the air. Fear is our first instinct. Forget love and motherhood – fear keeps humanity on the planet.
The second thing that hits us is that the actors and stunt people are damn fine – attractive and fit as fiddles. They were hired to a degree, for their physical appearance, prowess and agility. They were required to scale mountains and trees, run through uneven terrain in bare feet and at top speed. They dove into treacherous waterfalls and attacked each other in precise and difficult choreography. It may be the most stunt heavy film of all time.
Gibson’s fascination with torture continues. He showed us his dark side in ‘Braveheart,’ ‘Payback’ and especially ‘The Passion of the Christ.’ It seemed he could not shock us any more after that one, but he has.
Chilling scenes of hearts being ripped out of living people never lose their sharpness. While some viewers are desensitized to violence, it is not possible here – Gibson’s imagination has worked overtime.
Shout outs to Rudy Youngblood, as jaguar paw, the focal character of the epic, a young father whose idyllic existence comes to an abrupt end when invaders bring hell into his forest. He has a face the camera loves; he is in nearly every scene.
He is the embodiment of that fear that defines the film, which he delivers while speaking Maya Tec, the guttural indigenous language of the film. Youngblood masterfully carries the film in what is only his first professional acting job.
Gibson is to be congratulated for the film’s epic breadth and sweep. It is a major cinematic achievement, which unfortunately may be overlooked because of the current distaste for him.
However, the scope and achievement of his latest project can’t be denied.
Even after all this blather, it’s fair to say it’s hard to describe ‘Apocalypto.’ From a huge epic to a tight chase, from good, evil, and poetry to murder, it positively clobbers us over the head and for some, that’s a lot of fun.
Opens December 8 USA. MPAA: Rated R for sequences of graphic violence and disturbing images.
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Older Talkback
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I saw the movie at an advance screening last week and was blown away. Gibson's filmmaking skills are truly amazing. He has made a movie with some intensely beautiful sets and shots. The story is strong and the action intense. I encourage anyone who is a fan of well-made movies to see this film, regardless of how you feel about Gibson personally.
'BORAT' Mel is an american, you all embraced him why not Mel. Double standard maybe, he just said what everybody is afraid to say. Support Mel! Support Mel!
It was the most insane thing I have ever seen! Really far-fetched but the sub-titles and the amazing acting keep you in it. The whole film just looks so realistico.
Wow, really terrible review: 'You know when you’ve seen ‘Apocalypto,’ you’ve seen a film, and it stays that way for a long time. It’s that satisfying.'
Really, Apocalypto is a film? How about this: 'You know when you've seen 'Team America,' you've seen puppets, and it stays that way for a long time. It's that satisfying.'
I don't know what you're trying to say...
Nathan, you clearly do not know the difference between a 'movie' and a 'film.' I guess ignorance is bliss.
Hello,
Mel Gibson is making things that entertain and so is the video game industry. The esecert? Quality art, violence, and more sex please! Yes, that is the ticket. I can't wait to see the film. Bonompak, Palenque, Coban, places that are fascinating pieces of cultural history and now they will come to life!
Well the biggest problem I see with such a film is that here is another white guy describing and exoticising a culture. First, Mayan culture and society is not dead....last time I was in the Yucutan, the Maya were alive and well. Second, the whole idea of human sacrifice is not only anthropologically wrong in the film, most anthropologists agree that human sacrifice was limited to one or two days and one or two people. In addition, such sacrifice was not as common as under the Mexica/Aztec society (who sacrificed many)....interestingly, sacrifice often did not mean death in most cases....people were bled and the blood was dripped on food and then the food was eaten. The one being sacrificed often did not die in the process and it was an honor to be chosen by the priests.
Just a thought.
I wont forgive Mel until he cuts his hair short and does a followup to 'The Road Warrior'... 'The Patriot' flatout sucked bungjuice. Even 'Braveheart' was a seriously flawed movie.
That said, this looks like the high water mark for Mel as a director,and,racial weirdness aside,the movie should be seen.
Barbaric, ...the director that is. Another hollywood version of an otherwise great indigenous culture, a culture having the reached the highest civilization of its era, globally, . Might as well title the movie, 'Blood'.
So what if the movie was inaccurate anthropologically!! At least he was brave enough to emulate a civilization that once existed. Bet you some directors wished they picked up the idea of producing or directing this type of movie. Amples of movies out there are soo meaningless, materialistic, cute -blah,blah,blah. How often does a director make history come to life?! I can't wait to see his next movie!! Thank God for creating Mel Gibson. At least he is purposeful and not supeficial.
This movie ticks me off. I was so excited to see it, and the film was an embarrassment and an insult. I viewed a preview with a theater full of film students, and WE LAUGHED THE ENTIRE SECOND HALF. If Hollywood praises this, I am utterly ashamed. And I could care less about Mel Gibson's personal problems. The pure garbage he puts on screen is enough to boycott this film. The story was nothing but historically and culturally inaccurate, the violence was repetitive and unnecessary, and the poor acting and cliche, shallow script failed to allow any empathy for the main characters. If you know anything about good filmmaking, BOYCOTT this film.
I seen Apocalypto last night and to sum it up in one word, the film was absolutely amazing...I love every minute of it...Mel Gibson is a master of film making...I don't think we will ever see another movie like this one...The leading actor that played Jaguar Paw was magnificent...I hope to see him in future films...
Does Mel Gibson or the other writer (or even the NYTimes reviewer) of the film know that when the Spanish arrived the Mayan civilization was already gone? I believe Mayan culture made a short comeback from the thirteenth through the fifteenth centuries (if I have my pre-history right) and then declined again in the decades preceding the Spanish Conquest. Did the Aztecs kidnapped and enslaved dispersed Mayans in the forests of southern Mexico and then used some as human sacrifices? In the movie, are those Aztecs in the city (Tenochtitlán) where the captured 'Mayans' where taken? Someone please clarify!
Very well done. I'm not big on history, so I can't comment on the accuracy of the film, but if you look at it for what it is, a film - you will be satisfied. Not for the faint at heart. It has quite a few gory scenes so be prepared. You won't find yourself falling asleep on this one!
My husband and I watched the film last night. He is a native Maya Indian. We were pleased to see that Mel Gibson did not take liberties with the theories of why the Maya 'disappeared.' The Maya have not disappeared. They are still quite present each time we return to Yucatan we see, hear, and live with them. We were also pleased that Mr. Gibson brought renewed interest to the Maya culture with this film. After all, where is controversy, there is conversation and emotion. We enjoyed and discussed this film for quite some time. Although some of the dialect was not executed with correct inflection we were pleased with it's portrayal of our family's history and proud our children are Maya Indian.
I watched this last night with my female... I'm not sure how accurate it is... but I liked the movie overall. Pretty crucial and intense!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alex you probably a Will Ferrell fan.His movies are so idiotic and stupid.Stupid is what stupid does.Apocalypto is simply stunning!the acting;makeup;cinematograhpy; are excellent.Just a beautiful movie.
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PatriciaDec 3rd, 2006 - 22:59:56
>>Gibson is to be congratulated for the film’s epic breadth and sweep. It is a major cinematic achievement, which unfortunately may be overlooked because of the current distaste for him.
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