Apocalypto Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)December 16th, 2006
"Apocalypto" Now
by Homer Yen
(c) 2006
Mel Gibson may not have had his senses intact
during that well-publicized traffic stop. But
his movie-making skills are as sharp as a LeMans
race car driver making the most out of a hairpin
turn. "Apocalypto" is a bold and beautiful
project that will grab you for many reasons,
including the beautiful settings, the bizarre
customs, the stylized action, the fine acting,
and the drama of it all.
But take heed because this promises to be an ultra-violent film, yet delivering more than your
fair share of sacrifices and beheadings and other barbaric feats. If you like your films bloody in
a warmongering way, then the faucet has been
opened up for you here. Says one warrior of his intended prey, "when I catch him, I will peel off
his skin and he will watch me wear it."
And yet, because the film is a greatly-envisioned story of survival, the amount of blood spilled
doesn't seem extraordinary. The numerous deaths
don't seem that shocking. Even the beheadings
seem, dare I say it, normal. This is a credit to director Mel Gibson's skills as a film auteur who isn't afraid to tackle difficult subject material
and who can ably create a piece of work that is captivating amid a tapestry of extreme violence.
The Pre-Columbian period film, "Apocalypto,"
follows the story of an able, young hunter named Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood) living just outside
the encroaching Mayan civilization. But
eventually a Mayan raiding party kills or
captures most of Jaguar Paw's community. His
fate does not appear very good as the film
depicts the Mayans as a cruel and sadistic
society with a penchant for debasing acts of
savagery.
However, Jaguar Paw has will and destiny on his
side. He shrugs off the perceived fear that he initially had when he first encountered the
Mayans. And, he latches on to his compelling
reason strongly enough to allow him to collect
enough strength to keep him going. The latter
half of the film amounts to an extended, tense
chase sequence as Jaguar Paw escapes and a Mayan hunting party relentlessly pursues.
Mel Gibson is a filmmaker who likes to take
calculated risks, and it pays off here as it did
in his "The Passion of the Christ". The cast
contains no marquee stars. Yet, the performances range from the fearsome to the stately. And
within 20 minutes, you're already hooked. Like
his other film, which was spoken in dead-language Aramaic, "Apocalypto" employs an ancient Mayan language. Subtitles are needed here. But, the
effect successfully whisks the audience away to a
far away time and place. And the subject
material - a difficult one to cover - pulsates
with adrenaline. This is a film that I wouldn't necessarily want to witness it a second time.
But I admired and enjoyed it for its beauty, its captivating story, and the director's talent.
Grade: B+
S: 1 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 4 out of 3
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
