Apocalypto Review

"Apocalypto" reviews

Movie

Apocalypto

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2008-11-10 21:40:41

Rating

2.5/5

Provider

CinemaSource

Review

As an action piece, Mel Gibson's violent, subtitled Mayan epic Apocalypto is engrossing, but it lacks a real emotional hook.

Story

In the waning days of the Mayan empire, brave hunter Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood) lives a simple, contented life with his pregnant wife and young son in a small jungle village. His father, Flint Sky (Morris Birdyellowhead), warns him against fear, but it turns out Jaguar Paw is right to be afraid--one early morning, the sleepy village is ripped apart by invading Holcane warriors. Jaguar Paw thinks fast and hides his family, but they're left stranded when he's captured and marched off with the other survivors to the warriors' chaotic, hellish city. Marked for sacrifice to the priests' bloodthirsty gods, Jaguar Paw manages to evade that grisly fate, only to wind up fleeing for his life through the forest. What follows is a fast-paced, bloody pursuit as Jaguar Paw races against time to save his loved ones--and himself.

Acting

Director Gibson purposely cast his film with unknowns, believing that would make the viewing experience more authentic and convincing for audiences. He's right. The idea of watching famous faces traipse around the jungle in loincloths spouting Yucatec is a definite suspension-of-disbelief-killer. That said, most of the cast doesn't have a lot of complex expressive acting to do--Jaguar Paw's main emotion is relentless determination, and his enemies (led by Raoul Trujillo as Zero Wolf) are driven by bloodlust and revenge. All of them do a bang-up job dodging and weaving through the jungle, and the villagers' reaction to the bleak misery of the warriors' festering city (not to mention its massive pyramids) is authentic, but when it comes down to it, Apocalypto isn't really an actors' movie.

Direction

What it is is an exotic, relentlessly violent chase movie that ultimately lacks suspense on a basic level. In Braveheart, Gibson had a main character with nothing left to lose except his freedom, so he could risk it all and lose. In Apocalypto, Jaguar Paw has everything to live for, and his death--and what it would mean for his family--would make for an unspeakably depressing outcome. Of course, it's easy to forget about that in the face of the movie's gore. From the opening tapir-skewering scene to the brutal human sacrifices (think Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom with tools), the blood flows--and spurts and gushes--freely and often. The violence fits with the story's primal, adrenaline-charged nature, but it's still not for the faint of heart. Those who can stomach it will be entertained, even if they don't leave the jungle feeling the same way about Jaguar Paw as they did about William Wallace.

Bottom Line

Hollywood.com rated this film 2 1/2 stars.

Movie

Apocalypto

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2006-12-28 17:16:11

Provider

Review

The twilight of the Mayan civilization becomes a fictional cinematic spectacle in the hands of Mel Gibson; all seen through the eyes of young father and hunter, Jaguar Paw.

Paw's tribe live in the jungle - hunting and joking together - sharing an extended, relatively simple, familial existence. A calm that's rudely interrupted when ransacked by demonic ruthless hunters, who slaughter or take them for auction and sacrifice at an intense Mayan city. Jaguar Paw hides his young family, but sees his father killed before his own eyes by Snake Ink - providing a rivalry that runs the course of what develops into an impressive, though grisly chase.

Gibson's opening use of Will Durant's quote regarding Rome's demise: "A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within" seems his basis for making this into a 'universal warning' to modern man - beware the terror of global immolation? Taking the high ground is all very well, but this is a rollickingly good action film - gripping and visceral - though with an albeit 'creative' use of history. Gibson makes brutal - be careful, there's loads of literally bloody and gruesome episodes - but stunning panoramic cinema, whilst extracting tremendous personal performances from near novices in front of the camera. This looks sounds and 'feels' real.

Some of the extremes and romance will jar - too bloodthirsty, too sweet, too coincidental or just plain historically inaccurate, though, subtitles for the Yucatec Maya spoken throughout should not deter.

Rudy Youngblood's performance as Jaguar Paw is itself a highlight. Providing the film a thoroughly believable empathetic lead and it's core emotional anchor.

Gibson's foot-stomping "world-gone-wayward" media coverage needs to be set aside for what is a startling film of a lost world liberally sprinkled with the best of mainstream Hollywood's tricks to engage and enthrall. Superb, surprising, shocking or scary - it depends on your personal philosophy!