by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
Just five months after Mel Gibson’s highly publicized drunk driving arrest and racial tirade came the release of his Mayan Epic Apocalypto. Here in the US, where we were saturated with news of Mel-Gate, the $40 million film performed moderately, earning just over $50 million during its theatrical run. A critical favorite, Apocalypto is coming soon to DVD in hopes that audiences will put Gibson’s personal problems behind them and focus on his work.
During a successful tapir hunt, Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood) and his party run into a large group of refugees, fleeing their home because they claimed their land had been ravaged. This unexpected meeting puts Jaguar Paw on edge, and his father, Flint Sky (Morris Birdyellowhead), can see the fear in his eyes. After a pep talk about letting go of fear, the group heads back to their camp where they eat, tell stories and dance until late into the night. The next morning Jaguar Paw and his tribe learn first hand what caused the refugees to flee their homes. A group of raiders led by the ruthless Zero Wolf (Raoul Trujillo) entered the village, torching their huts and rounding up as many of the tribes’ people as they could. Jaguar Paw manages to lower his pregnant wife (Dalia Hernandez) and young son into a small cave in the ground before he himself is caught, essentially stranding his family. The raiders take their new prisoners on a two-day journey back to their ever growing city. Far from the only home he’s ever known and haunted by the thought of what may be happening to his family in that cave, Jaguar Paw banishes fear from his heart and vows to do whatever it takes to get back to his family.
I’m stunned at the lack of bonus features on the Apocalypto DVD. Aside from one deleted scene, which clocks in at less than a minute in length, a feature-length audio commentary track with Gibson and writer/producer Farhad Safinia and a decent 20 minute making-of featurette, the disc is bare. If you’re planning on buying Apocalypto for your DVD collection, I would hold off for a while. I strongly suspect a double-dip is on its way.
Like most historical dramas, the less you know about Mayan culture, the better your chances of enjoying Apocalypto. Going into the film with a firm grasp on what truly happened to the Maya civilization and its downfall will only serve to assist you in finding the many historical inaccuracies in the film, a problem many anthropologists and archaeologists had when they sat down for a viewing. Still, if you are looking for a completely fictional action epic set during this time period, and are willing to accept Mel’s artistic license, this may just be the film for you. I was completely overtaken by the gorgeous scenery, from the depths of the jungle to the terrifying yet eerily beautiful Maya city. The bustling mini-metropolis is filled with people who help give it its color, extras dressed in costumes that are straight out of textbooks. When we first come into the city, you can almost feel the heat and breathe the dust. It’s uncomfortable to watch, and when the action finally returns to the jungle, you share our hero’s relief at being away from that place. This ability to draw the audience in so deeply is why Mel Gibson, despite his personal issues, is so great. After being in the movie business for nearly three decades, Gibson knows how to invoke feeling from his audience.
Beautifully shot though it may be, Apocalypto is extremely violent, almost to the point of being painfully so. Graphic depictions of human sacrifice and other brutalities are commonplace in this film, making the R-rating more than suitable. Despite the pseudo-historic subject matter, kids shouldn’t be given an opportunity to watch this.
He may not be a great guy, but Mel Gibson is an incredibly gifted filmmaker and Apocalypto proves it. Check it out on DVD and give it a chance. Though filled with inaccuracies, it’s a powerful film that will keep you glued to the screen and thirsting to know more about this fascinating culture.
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
