Going
into this film, I wanted so much to hate it, given my dislike
of The Passion of the Christ, and anti-Semite Gibson as
a person, but within minutes, Apocalypto had won me over.
Though it’s
not the most politically correct movie, and has little to
offer beyond entertainment value, at that it was extremely
effective, and I enjoyed virtually every minute of it.
The film tells
the epic story of Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood), a Mayan hunter
struggling to survive against invading forces. When another
tribe raids his village seeking slaves and human sacrifices,
Jaguar Paw is captured, and his pregnant wife Seven (Dalia
Hernandez) and son Turtles Run (Carlos Emilio Baez) are safely
(though helplessly) hidden in a cave. Faced with his impending
sacrifice, Jaguar Paw must escape and return to his village
to save himself and his family.
Similar to the
Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin spoken in The Passion of the
Christ,
the film contains only ancient Mayan. I praise Gibson’s
effort to be authentic in this way because I have always been
troubled by the lack of realism most films portray by having
characters speak other languages than they naturally would
have. The sense of authenticity is also heightened by the
impressive costume design, makeup, and art direction. This
being said, claims by Gibson and others involved in the production
that the pre-Columbian tribes aren’t depicted as stereotypical
savages are assuredly false. Cinematic representations of
indigenous peoples throughout the world have frequently been
problematic, and I don’t find Gibson’s offenses
here to be as grievous as the anti-Semitism he expressed in
Passion ot the depictions of Native Americans throughout the
history of the Western genre.
Perhaps the most
offensive element of the movie is the implication, established
from the epigraph by historian Will Durant, that the Europeans
conquered the Mayans because their culture had already self-destructed.
While certain cultural practices, such as human sacrifice,
might not be things I approve of, or that I think would have
lasted for centuries more, I feel that it's irresponsible
of the film to blame the fall of the Mayan society on the
victims. It completely ignores other historical factors, such
as guns, horses, and disease, which contributed to the end
of the Mayan rule.
Though I might
have problems with Gibson as a performer, and as a celebrity,
I can’t deny that he has genuine talent as a filmmaker.
His visual style is quite effective at evoking strong emotions,
even if the story has little substance to back it up. The
sometimes overwhelming “ethnic” music also contributes
to the suspense of the movie, as do the impressive performances.
In disturbing scenes, such as the raid, and the sacrificial
rite, the actors all provide believable, moving renditions.
I wonder, given the niche nature of these roles, if we will
see the memorable Rudy Youngblood or Jonathan Brewer (who
plays the somewhat pathetic Blunted) in any future films.
While watching
the film, it occurred to me that the prospect of Mel Gibson
making a movie that wasn’t wrought with extreme and
graphic violence would be quite an occasion. Apocalypto follows
the pattern already established with The Passion of the
Christ and Braveheart with it’s overdone
gore. The movie starts with a character eating a raw tapir
testicle, complete with squirting semen, and doesn’t
slow down, including such things as a still-beating heart
shown to a sacrificed man and a jaguar ripping a man's face
off. It’s not quite as unnecessary as it was in Passion,
though is still utilized excessively and is at least justified,
though the whole film seems to exist solely as an excuse for
graphic imagery.
I feel like I’ve
been more negative in this review than I originally intended.
I thoroughly enjoyed Apocalypto, and would have no
reservations against watching it again. It has renewed my faith
in Gibson’s directorial abilities, which is saying a lot.
It doesn’t rank in as highly as Braveheart in
terms of construction, but the film is well-crafted and certainly
more watchable than a lot of the action movies coming out these
days. I don’t expect it to be on any best-of lists, or
even remain timeless for decades, but it’s a hell of a
popcorn flic.
