Review of Apocalypto (2006) by Ricardo P — 14 Sep 2012

As many have said Mel Gibson is a reprehensible person in many ways, a religious nutcase who has done more damage to his own career than any outside source ever could.

That being said though, Apocalypto is a mesmerizing epic set with care and inspired power the likes of which could very well one day land it as his post mortem magnus opus. Rather neglected by filmmakers outside of Disney, the great civilizations of America's past have never ever been given their due in cinema before. You feel as if you are really there, thanks in part to incredible costume and setting, and even more so due to a cast of very convincing actors. The Story is very well told, though my only gripe is in the needless brutality within some characters, though that adds and not detracts from the strong flow.

I am sure someone born and raised within with modern Mayan culture would have many many bones to pick, but for bad or good the power and grandeur of the ancient Maya their past has finally been exposed to the movie going audience much as Ancient Roman, Chinese and Medieval culture has in other great films.