It’s a dangerous time in the forests where the Maya people live. Apocalypto is an epic film about everyday life, and the struggle for survival for one Maya group. Little do they know that their world will change forever.
The Plot
A Maya group seems to be living the idyllic life, when a band of warriors attacks their village, burning the community to the ground, and capturing many of the members for slavery and sacrifice. Jaguar Paw is too fast, and able to protect his wife and child from the marauders, before he too is captured.
Escaping, it becomes a test of wills for Jaguar Paw. Can he outwit and outlast his pursuers to make it back to his wife's child and save them? As the battle for survival intensifies, Jaguar Paw must find the courage to continue. Somewhere amongst the trees and the animals the young Maya warrior discovers who he is and what he can accomplish.
While Jaguar Paw fights off the predators both human and animal, the closer he comes to his family the more dangerous it becomes. When Jaguar Paw is on the edge of his survival, he and his hunters confront an even bigger threat to their way of life, Spanish explorers.
The Good
The film is epic in all ways. The setting, the story, the battle for survival, and the may the movie is shot makes the viewers sit in awe as they hold their breath throughout the picture. One cannot help but get caught up in the scale of the movie.
Rudy Youngblood is an excellent lead. He not only captures your attention from the first moment on the screen, but viewers will get caught up in his own growth and struggle for survival in the latter half of the film. Youngblood plays the heroic warrior Jaguar Paw with grace and humility. When the waterfall jump takes place, the viewers are all in for Jaguar Paw’s success.
That waterfall jump, wow! That was incredible. Suited for the story, and grand in scale, it was perfectly shot, and just one of many moments in the movie where the viewer will be on the edge of their seat.
The fact that there is an entire movie about the Maya portrayed by actors in their native language without a big Hollywood star leading the story is awesome. This is a rarity today.
The Bad and the Ugly
It is directed by Mel Gibson, and his name does bring some controversy to any project for his past actions.
The movie is violent and bloody, and there will be moments when you will want to turn your head or cover your eyes to avoid the gore.
Many historians have pointed out multiple inaccuracies that do not accurately portray the Maya.
It’s also subtitled, so if that’s not your thing, then perhaps you may want to skip Apocalypto.
Beyond the Film Facts
- The movie was nominated for 3 Oscars: Best Makeup, Sound Mixing, and Sound Editing.
- The movie was also nominated for a BAFTA as well as several critic’s choice awards.
- Apparently while filming the epic waterfall jump, the crew was stunned to watch as a cow which was trying to cross the river up stream, didn’t make it and went over the waterfall, only to survive with no injury and get out to eat some grass as if nothing happened.
- Many of the actors in the film, were Maya actors who had never been on screen before.
- The scene where Rudy Youngblood is running from the jaguar really had Youngblood near a real jaguar which was only held back by a tether.
- Apocalypto is supposedly the last R-rated film released under the Walt Disney banner.
- The total body count for the film is at 114 people.
- Director Mel Gibson makes a very brief almost hidden cameo in the trailer for the film.
- The method that the jaguar kills in the film is reportedly accurate to the animal, with a killing bite delivered to the brain of its victims.
- Gibson financed the movie through his own Icon Productions, while Disney handled the distribution of the film.
- The movie was Gibson’s follow up to The Passion of the Christ.
- When the film was released, it not only had to live up to the blockbuster status of Passion but came six months after Gibson’s DUI arrest in 2006.
- The film is praised by many, including Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, and critic Roger Ebert.
The Streamy Award
{The following four categories are based on a Film Reel scale.
1 Reel-Bored and Killing Time, 2 Reels-When You Have Some Time, 3 Reels-Make Some Time, 4 Reels-Big Screen Event}
Apocalypto is an epic. The film is on the scale of Ben-Hur and The Bridge on the River Kwai. There is a lot to like about this film, and Apocalypto overcomes the baggage of the director to shine.
Apocalypto gets a 4 Reels rating. Watch this film on the biggest screen possible with the best possible soundbar.
Cast and Crew
- Rudy Youngblood as Jaguar Paw
- Raoul Max Trujillo as Zero Wolf
- Gerardo Taracena as Middle Eye
- Jonathan Brewer as Blunted
- Iazua Larios as Sky Flower
- Morris Birdyellowhead as Flint Sky
- Dalia Hernandez as Seven
Directed by Mel Gibson
Produced by Touchstone Pictures / Icon Productions / Mayan Ruins
Release Date: December 8, 2006
Budget: $40 million
Box Office Gross
Domestic: $50,866,635
Worldwide Total: $120,673,227
Coming Soon
Next week, a look back at the Ron Howard thriller Ransom.