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Apocalypto (R)





Release Date: December 8th, 2006 by Touchtone Pictures.
The Cast: Rudy Youngblood, Dalia Hernandez, Jonathan Brewer, Morris Birdyellowhead, Carlos Emilio Baez, Ramirez Amilcar, Israel Contreras, Israel Rios, María Isabel Díaz, Espiridion Acosta Cache, Mayra Serbulo.
Directed by Mel Gibson.
In Maya with subtitles.

BASIC PREMISE: Jaguar Paw (Youngblood) flees his Mayan kingdom to avoid being sacrificed.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: Apocalypto takes a while to become engaging, but once it does, it becomes a gripping action-adventure. The opening scenes show the brutal violence of warriors who set out to kill, rape and torture any Mayans. Jaguar Paw manages to escape and hide his pregnant wife (Hernandez) inside a hidden cave. Eventually, he painted in blue at a Mayan scarification ceremony which seems to last forever as he and other Mayans wait in line to get their heart removed and head chopped off in front of a crowd. Once Jaguar Paw escapes this place, Apocalypto becomes a pulse-pounding cat-and-mouse chase through the beautiful jungle. Co-writer/director Mel Gibson moves suddenly moves the pace much quicker to add lots of momentum. Jaguar Paw not only has to save himself from being killed, but to save his pregnant wife as well. Not surprisingly, Gibson includes plenty of graphic violence and gore—believe it or not, much more than was found in the recent horror film in Brazilian jungle, Turistas. With so much action, there’s very little character development, so it’s not like you’ll remember any of the characters or care about them. As an intense action-adventure film, Apocalypto keeps you mostly entertained, if you can get stomach the gore, without making you feel absorbed in any way.

SPIRITUAL VALUE: Unfortunately, none.

INSULT TO YOUR INTELLIGENCE: Initially boring and not absorbing enough.

NUMBER OF TIMES I CHECKED MY WATCH: 2

IN A NUTSHELL: Mostly riveting and intense with breathtaking scenery, but not absorbing enough.

RECOMMENDED WAY TO WATCH: Movie Theater (2nd Run)


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