Movie Reviews
Mel Gibson�s latest film �Apocalypto� is a great movie; a glorious, grandiose, gorgeous example of expert filmmaking. The palette of the film is so uncompromising, that it can�t possibly be anything other than the vision Gibson had in his head from the beginning. This goes beyond a vision. This is an experience.
Set roughly six-hundred years ago, �Apocalypto� is ultimately a chronicle of the end of the Mayan civilization in Mexico. Amid that vast synopsis emerges the story of Jaguar Paw, the member of a peaceful, understanding tribe that lives in the jungle and thrives on self-sufficiency. In fact, they are so self-sufficient that when another tribe needs to pass through, Jaguar Paw and his friends are unsure what to do. It�s as if they�ve never seen people outside their tribe before.
In a scene about twenty minutes in to the film, Jaguar Paw�s village is invaded by a vicious upscale tribe. All who aren�t killed or raped are bound together in groups and forced to march to the imposing tribe�s large, modern city on the other side of the jungle. None of them have ever seen anything like it before; the city features monumental structures and thousands upon thousands of people wearing ornate clothing. It�s a look into the lifestyle of a more modern version of themselves, but at the same time, more crude. These �modern� people don�t share the same value of human life.
Before Jaguar Paw is forced to leave his village, he secretly hides his pregnant wife and young son in a narrow vertical cavern. There is no way in but down, and no way out but up. When Jaguar Paw is taken away, he is not only leaving behind his life, he�s leaving behind his family, making this a story of collective survival.
�Apocalypto� delves into a lot of different themes and as such, Gibson is not following any set of rules. Nor should he. His screenplay � co-written by Farhad Safinia � goes wherever it pleases, from a linear story of a simple jungle tribe to a massive, complex tale of survival, betrayal, prophecy, new beginnings and bewilderment. There are scenes of great emotional power, scenes of deep philosophical meaning, scenes of intense brutality. And for the most part we, the audience, are as new to this stuff as Jaguar Paw is.
An important feature of �Apocalypto� is its sheer movement. There is not a moment that passes where a new crisis is posed or where new odds are stacked. It is a feature that drives the narrative and it shows that we could all learn a thing or two about kinetics from Mel Gibson. Don�t count on any relief. Enter the movie ready for non-stop, hair-raising action.
Aside from all this, �Apocalypto� happens to be quite a feat. The level of filmmaking here is unparalleled this year, showing us moment after moment of jaw dropping visuals and seemingly impossible stunts. There are scenes of such intensity as to invoke exhaustion by just watching it. It�s the kind of movie where you are intently aware of both the film itself and making of the film. The story is powerful enough to ascertain your thinking, but one can�t possibly help but to simply ask, How did they do that?
The answer is: Mel Gibson is a great director. Not only are the action scenes top-of-the-line, the actors get lost in their roles. Because the film is totally in Mayan with English subtitles, these actors � all unknowns, but not for long � convey primal emotions through simple, hard-earned movements and deeply understandable reactions.
�Apocalypto� is also a gem because of its detail. We aren�t given any back story on these people or their civilization. In fact, there is still a debate as to just how accurate the film is in its portrayal. Accurate or not, the focus of the story is not the civilization, but the breakdown of the civilization. Before us is a visceral depiction of what, deep down in our bones, feels like history.
There is a lot of implied history. It can be seen in the clothing, in the props, in the buildings. It is highly evident in that harrowing scene in which the captives first enter the city. The contrast of setting from the beginning of the movie is so stark that the scene comes as a shock. Of course, it doesn�t help that thousands of people shout as a priest offers human sacrifices atop towering temples, all of which is accented by severed heads rolling down the stairs and a sudden eclipse in the sky. Oh yes, �Apocalypto� is enough to knock you out of your chair and into submission. ****
Note: Here goes the media again with its assault on Mel Gibson. Yes, Gibson was wrong to drink and drive, and yes he was totally wrong to yell anti-Semitic remarks. Their opinions about Gibson himself, for the most part, have filtered over into their opinion about his film. Sounds like d�j� vu from, oh I don�t know, his last movie. Here�s the truth: �Apocalypto� is very violent. You can assume that from my brief descriptions above. But I totally side with Gibson who submits that it is less violent than �Braveheart,� or than most R-rated horror movies whose use of violence are far less justified. Don�t condemn Gibson�s film until you�ve seen it yourself.