Review: Apocalypto


Set in the ancient Mayan age (presumably around the 1500s), warrior Rudy Youngblood is living a relatively humble existence, with a loving wife (Dalia Hernandez) who is pregnant with their second child. This happy, hunter-gatherer sort of existence is soon shattered when a war-minded tribe (led by nasty Raoul Trujillo) invade the village to torture, rape, and kill everyone in sight. Youngblood manages to lead wife and child to a safe hiding place (a big hole in the ground), but soon he is captured and set to be filleted in some kind of ancient ritualistic sacrifice. How will he escape and rescue his wife and kid? The bizarrely named Morris Birdyellowhead (!) plays Youngblood’s wise, respected warrior father.

 

Bloody, exciting, and picturesque 2006 Mel Gibson (“Braveheart”, “The Passion of the Christ”, “The Man Without a Face”) flick is like an ancient, visceral variation on “The Most Dangerous Game”. It starts out looking like it might be a little more thoughtful than that (it’s not dumb, though), but for what it is, it works. It’s more accessible than “The Passion” at any rate and no less noble as a film if you ask me (OK, so seeing a guy’s face mangled by a jaguar isn’t exactly high art, but it sure is something!).

 

Gibson certainly knows his way around a muscular and thrilling action scene. The film is essentially an extended chase, and for once, it’s all shot really well, instead of the usual MTV hack-job where you can’t see anything. Also, star Youngblood is an imposing and engaging lead, and the cinematography by Aussie Dean Semler (“Razorback”, “Waterworld”, “Dances With Wolves”) is stunning, filmed in Mexico.

 

Scripted by Gibson and Farhad Safinia, this isn’t exactly the most thoughtful or positive view of Mayan history, but it does provide some insight into why ancient cultures ended up failing. And let’s face it, most of us have no idea what the Mayan civilisation was like, so it’s not such a bad thing that Gibson has simplified things a bit, really.

 

Rating: B-

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