Apocalypto, Mel Gibson’s latest film, comes at perhaps the most tumultuous, contentious moment of his career. You wouldn’t know it from the movie’s posters and advertisements, though, where it is prominently referred to as “Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto.” Why, in the face of such scrutiny, would Disney market the film with the man? Probably because it stays true to the strength of Gibson’s past work: the ability to craft a dramatic, epic tale with a larger-than-life hero. Apocalypto is nothing groundbreaking, but, as with Braveheart and The Passion of the Christ, it is thrilling and sufficiently entertaining, and so in that sense it can be considered successful.
The film’s narrative narrowly concentrates on a Mayan man named Jaguar Paw, played by newcomer Rudy Youngblood, and his quest to save his family after a sadistic faction of Mayans destroys his rural village. The evil-warrior-Mayans hope to take their prisoners back to their city as a sacrifice to the gods, and Jaguar Paw’s desire to prevent that from happening is essentially the movie’s only conflict.
Indeed, anyone looking for any complexity or depth whatsoever in terms of storyline should avoid Apocalypto—Gibson depicts the Mayans as a primitive people, not as the technologically advanced civilization they were. As the movie is basically one gigantic chase scene, he crafts the narrative to align with that depiction.
Anyone looking for a mindless, extremely violent escapist romp should be more than satisfied with the film. It goes almost without saying that Gibson has a penchant for over-the-top gore, but he takes it to an unprecedented level here. At one point a jaguar slowly tears one man’s face from its skull, and there are numerous beheadings, throat-slittings and even a small dose of violence toward children. The faint of heart need not apply.
There are also several important weaknesses apparent throughout the film. Excluding the opening scene, which is surprisingly lighthearted and completely unlike everything that follows, there is very little character development outside of Jaguar Paw and his immediate family. Everyone else is just a nameless Mayan.
Further, there are several instances that are so ridiculously contrived that they almost ruin the film. The most glaring is an immaculately clean, smooth birth that occurs as the mother is drowning, which left many in the audience laughing hysterically.
Finally, Gibson’s open invitation at Austin’s Fantastic Film Fest to compare the Mayan crisis—in which their thriving civilization was essentially destroyed due to in-fighting and widespread sacrificeshy;shy;—to the crisis presently faced by the United States in Iraq is inherently flawed. Any attempt to seriously consider the comparison will undoubtedly dampen your overall experience.
Even with these faults, though, Apocalypto is a success, most fundamentally because it happens to be one of the most thrilling movies released this year. It is also beautifully shot, and the jungles of Mexico are exquisite. Though the storyline is essentially a by-the-numbers modern thriller transplanted to ancient Mexico, it manages to be engaging and incredibly exciting. And though the history is blatantly off-the-mark in several instances, the movie concludes neatly with the arrival of the Spanish just as Jaguar Paw believes he has put his troubles behind him.
If you can stomach its brutal violence and blatant unoriginality, Apocalypto is essentially one extended, thrilling chase scene that, if nothing else, will take your mind off of whatever may be bothering you as you head to the theater.
In Yucatan with English subtitles.
