Apocalypto

Yet another masterpiece has surfaced on the silver screen adding itself to my list of favorite movies for 2006.
In what would seem like a save-the-best-movies-for-last move, Actor, director, producer and writer, Mel Gibson, premiers his latest motion picture “Apocalypto” only a few days before the year’s end. Written and directed by Gibson himself, Apocalypto is in my opinion an excellent cinematographic follow up to the “Passion of the Christ” (2004) which had concretely demonstrated Gibson’s abilities as an accomplished director. Being his fourth directorial picture since “A man without a face” (1993) followed by the critically acclaimed “Braveheart” (1995), Apocalypto, although a completely different topic and absent of major religious references, follows closely the steps of “Passion” as it is based on one of the most important ancient ethnicities of the American continent, the Mayan civilization.
Following his innovative and successful formula of reviving ancient languages, the film is entirely spoken in the ancient Mayan dialect which adds its own realistic touch to the whole picture.
I have not yet determined the genre of this movie and which category I would place it in as it contains several elements, but what I can say is that it is as if it is divided in two parts.
The first half of the movie being somewhat documentary-like, about the way of life of the Maya, their life in the community, their customs and so on whereas the second part of the movie, right after the significant eclipse of the sun that occurs at some point, the movie changes it’s slow pace and becomes an adrenaline flooded adventure movie where action, fear and chase are the dominating elements.
Having read the critics prior to viewing it, I expected to see a gory type of movie with excessive violence and disturbing scenes similar to the tortures in “Passion”. After seeing it, I will have to disagree with most of them and say that they over exaggerated. I mean ok, there is some blood shed in some scenes of battle and in the sacrifices but in no way would I go to the extent and call them disturbing. You want gore? Go see “Saw” ;-)
Favourite scene in the movie? hm let's see.. where do I start.. I think I will go with a breathtaking jump in the waterfalls (always wanted to do that) and another which includes a fight with a jaguar and another with some underwater birth..
I will not give out more details about the movie as I will inevitably be spoiling it for most of you but I have to give credit to Mr. Gibson for his breathtaking visuals and incredible angles which at some points, make you feel like you’re actually living the scenes. The cast was also carefully selected and not for their butt bearing or their physique; Native Americans to the most part, whose facial expressions alone are worth awarding, not to mention the difficult task of performing in a dead language.
As far as the story, plot and message of the movie are concerned, I wouldn’t exactly call it complicated as I initially expected it to be, but its strength lies in the way of actually telling it or better said, displaying it, which Gibson achieved spectacularly.
The soundtrack of Apocalypto is composed by none other than James Horner, also known for the music behind Braveheart, Titanic, Alien, Mask of Zorro, Gorky Park, Cocoon, Legends of the fall and many more.
All that and still, provocative Mr. Gibson received some rather mixed reviews about his latest accomplishment. Given his recent history with the media and his alleged anti-Semite statements while drunk, I can’t help but suspect that some of the negative reviews were biased and erroneously influenced. Too bad considering art shouldn’t be criticized by judging its creator but by the result itself.

here's the trailer: