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5/3/2008
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Apocalypto (2006)
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When his village is pillaged by vicious and mercenary Holcane warriors, young Jaguar Paw manages to lower his pregnant wife and their son down into a deep hole – an act which saves them from the invaders, but leaves them alone and hungry when Jaguar Paw is caught and hauled off to be used as a human sacrifice.
The captured villagers arrive in Maya City where we find an affluent and extravagant kingdom brought to its knees by failing crops. While the female captives are sold as slaves to rich Mayans, the men are systematically slaughtered to appease the gods. Jaguar Paw is saved by a miraculously-timed eclipse, and is released, albeit in a hail of arrows and spears. From here, our hero races against time and the rain – the hole his family is trapped in is filling up fast – while also contending with his particularly persistent captors who want revenge for the death of one of their own.
The film is extremely violent, but if you don’t mind the gore, this is an exciting and ultimately moving story of surviving against incredible odds. You might even find some comedy in the obscene number of obstacles he must overcome to return home, as well as the amazing good luck he has along the way.
As Jaguar Paw, Rudy Youngblood carries the film easily, and the rest of the cast – mostly non-professionals – are impressive too. All the characters speak in an ancient Mayan dialect, and most of the film takes place in dense jungle, adding to the sense of time and place. There are also references to why the Mayan civilisation collapsed, including a scene where we see the Spanish Conquistadors arriving and the film alludes to the devastating changes they will bring to the traditional way of life. Mostly though, this is a straightforward thriller, as our likeable protagonist fights to keep his life and save his family.
Apocalypto was released shortly after director Mel Gibson made drunken, anti-Semitic remarks that shocked the world. The film’s poor box-office was most likely due to the bad feeling his outburst created, as well as the obscure subject matter and use of subtitles, rather than any fault with the actual film, because this is a visually rich, exciting and uplifting tale of love, resilience and courage.
Review by Catherine Leopold
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