Mel Gibson's 2006 movie, "Apocalypto," filmed in Mayan with subtitles and on location in Mexico, is an extraordinary, stunning movie. If, like me, you may have refrained from watching it because of what you'd heard about its being "dark" or "gorey," ignore all that and do as I did last night: overcome your reservations and watch the movie! My wife and I enjoyed it immensely.
On one level, it's the story of a nuclear family's being separated and reunited after a grueling ordeal for both the husband and the wife and their young son (and their child born during the ordeal). That may be a fairly common storyline, but we rarely or never see it set in a stone-age culture. This highly dramatic story is utterly compelling. I often nod off while watching a movie, but there wasn't a single moment when I drifted in that direction last night. The jungle setting (in Catemaco) is beautifully photographed. The costumes are awesome, their archaeological basis (claimed in the bonus material on the DVD to be) as authentic as possible. Ditto for the Mayan ways of living, hunting, playing, fighting, worshipping, and...yes, sacrificing to their god(s). (I have to admit I'm not sure whether they believed in one or many gods. It's tends to be pretty much all the same to me.)
No computer graphic imaging was used (the bonus material says) to achieve effects. All of those Mayans in the city scenes were actual human extras. (These scenes were not set in the same part of Mexico as the jungle scenes, however, but in Veracruz. It would have been very difficult to work in Catemaco with the huge crew of costumers, make-up artists, and others. Every extra required to be costumed and made-up, and both costumes and make-up were elaborate for the warriors and members of the upper classes.)
And the gore wasn't nearly so gorey as I had somehow gotten the idea it was. (The scourging of Christ in "The Passion of Christ" was much, much more "graphic" than anything that goes on in this movie, in my opinion.)
I wonder whether much of the criticism of the movie when it came out wasn't driven by the desire to put Gibson down; I sort of recall that he was going through one of his periods of being out of favor in Hollywood. Of course, when has he not been out of favor lately? Gibson's favor is completely irrelevant. This is a wonderful movie and you must see it!
What is it with Gibson and violence? He positively revels in it, even using himself as the victim.
ReplyDeleteBut he is a accomplished film maker. I won't deny that. My son (16 at the time) begged me to let him see Braveheart. He loves that time and setting. I went to theater with him & it was indeed an engrossing film. He confessed to me he'd closed his eyes once or twice. (remember Mel's torment upon being captured) Alas, like most of us, he probably is able to drink it in pretty easily today.
Possibly you would have imagined I would have seen The Passion. But I've not. I gather it's nothing but scenes of torture and am not quite sure how that is supposed to build anyone's faith. Those fundamental churches, some of them, consider it required viewing.
Polanki's film The Piantist has good reviews. I've borrowed it, but may be returning it unseen for lack of time.
Little Miss Sunshine is excellent. I recommend it.
Also, did you see Once yet? Highly recommended. You know I never steer you wrong.
And Vitus, not quite in the same league, is nonetheless an enjoyable film.
Tom
Tom, the question about Gibson and violence may need to be enlarged to Hollywood (or French or movies or ....) and violence, since Gibson's films are even the most striking examples of it. For example, have you seen (I guess you haven't) David Cronenberg's "History of Violence" and "Eastern Promises"? Both got an E rating from me. And a number of films directed by Sam Peckinpaw, deliberately violent for theoretical cinematic reasons.
ReplyDelete"Once" is on my list, but I haven't found it yet (at the price I like to pay or, at the library, not have to pay). I'll add "Vitus."
"The Pianist"? That's the one for which the Adrian Brody won the Oscar? Excellent film.