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Apocalypto
(2006)   
Review
To
me, the history of pre-conquest America is among the most
fascinating in world history. The reasons are mainly twofold:
(1) The limited source material available, which makes the lives of the indigenous peoples and their great civilizations
perpetually enigmatic. (2) The fact that these peoples were almost
the only ones who had not been subjected to European influence up until 1500,
meaning their worldviews, customs, and cultures were completely independent.
The
three known major civilizations were the Inkas, the Aztecs, and
the Mayas – the latter two located mainly in present-day Mexico. And Mel
Gibson's latest film Apocalypto explores the eve of the Mayan
society. As in his manipulative and
anti-narrative The
Passion of the Christ, Gibson uses local (nearly extinct) languages to present his narrative –
an admirable choice that brings us closer to the spirit of the people and
the time. Equally impressive is his cast of largely
unknown and unprofessional actors. Lead by a talented Rudy Youngblood,
they give Apocalypto a fresh and
authentic feel. Unlike his previous film, Apocalypto focuses on characters and motivation.
First and foremost, it is an engaging
adventure thriller, not unfamiliar with genre conventions, but able to
use them to its advantage. As in
Braveheart, Gibson uses brutality
to highlight the simplistic and naturalistic nature of his lead
characters, and the opening half of the film is both harrowing and
gripping.
Gibson's
work
is less convincing once the story moves into the Mayan city, where he uses religious and political allegories to make contemporary comments.
Though these scenes are useful in isolation, he makes the
mistake of presenting the Mayan culture as overly primitive and
simplifying the characters. His numerous close-ups of
despairing people and symbolic exaggerations become counterproductive.
The
film has also faced criticism for conflating Aztec and Mayan cultures.
This is difficult to verify, though the timeline is
certainly questionable, and the brutal rituals and human sacrifice
depicted are more characteristic of the Aztecs. Nevertheless, if you are
willing to overlook a few historical inaccuracies, Apocalypto
delivers a pulsating, suspenseful, and clever final act. Generally,
Gibson excels when keeping his cameras and actors in the forest: The many chase sequences remain inventive
and effective, and
the lens captures the Mexican landscape with awe and delicacy. All in
all, Apocalypto represents a return to form for the
American/Australian filmmaker,
and while the conclusion is arguably constructed, it is completely
satisfactory.
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