Apocalypto (2006)

Credit where credit's due: I never thought Mel Gibson would be able to direct an epic film. Sure, I always enjoyed most of his roles, but 'actors turned director' doesn't always feel synonymous with quality. I never saw 'The Patriot', I couldn't stomach 'The Passion of the Christ', so it was safe to assume I wasn't going into this one with the biggest feeling of enthusiasm ever.

But this film is totally worth a watch. If you have a strong stomach, that is. 

In the final days of the Mayan empire, a village is ransacked and most of its inhabitants taken away to be sold as either slaves or to be sacrificed to Kukulkan. A young warrior named Jaguar Paw manages to escape and has to race home, because just before the raid, he hid his pregnant wife and young son in a cave, but they can not escape on their own. 

That is the whole film. Doesn't seem like enough to fill two hours of runtime, does it? Yet it works. It's not a slow build, either. You quickly get thrown in the action with a hunt right in the beginning. Then we get to know our principal characters, before all hell breaks loose. True, it might feel a bit much, the things that are happening to Jaguar Paw, but he is enough of a sympathetic character so it works. 

But let's be honest, the story isn't the main reason to watch this. It's the meticulous eye for detail. I am not sure whether or not everything fits with what we know about the Maya (some things seem more reminiscent of Aztecs, but I could be wrong), but darn it all to heck: Gibson did go all in for reality's sake. The villages, the city, clothing, hairstyles, ornaments, ... It all feels and looks as authentic as possible. Even the actors use an older Indian tongue so as to feel more real. It does help transport you to an era long passed, as using English would have felt incredibly out of place. So props to them for going the distance. 

As was obvious with 'The Passion of the Christ', this one is also pretty brutal at times. The raid on the village is pretty heavy and Gibson does like to linger on scenes of carnage (like the sacrifices), which doesn't make this a film for people that are squeamish. Sure, it's realistic and all, but if you can't stand blood, torture or graphic violence, you might want to give this one a miss. 

Nevertheless, it is an engaging watch and quite a tour de force yet again. Just the fact that they all went the distance in order to make this as close to history as we know (or so it seems), makes this a more than interesting film to discover. It didn't have to end right when the first conquistadores land on the shores, but the symbolism does get a bit heavyhanded at times. You can't win them all, I guess.

'Apocalypto' is a great watch, especially if you have a thing for ancient Middle and South American cultures. The story in itself isn't anything special, but the shots are gorgeous and the effort made more than makes up for it.