I watched Apocalypto last night on the internet. It was probably illegally recorded, because I don't think it's out on video yet in the States, is it? Anyway, it was really good. Really sad and creepy and violent, but good. Here are some thoughts. I'm not a movie critic by trade, so if you want a better review of the film, go to Pajiba. If you haven't seen the film yet and you're one of those who don't like to hear details about a movie before you see it, proceed with caution, or maybe not at all.
- I thought it was really well-made. I love that the characters weren't speaking English in an accent, but in Mayan (I think that's what it was supposed to be, anyway). It made the movie a lot more realistic.
- For about a third of the movie I had no clue what was going on. Before I watched it, I didn't know anything about f the film except that it was Mel Gibson's brainchild and that it was bloody. I suppose I vaguely remembered hearing it was about South American Indians, but that was all I knew. So I was really confused, especially when the Mayan dudes came in and captured a bunch of people. I had no idea why they were killing and capturing so many people. I think that added to the realism of the film for me, because maybe the villagers felt similarly. They didn't know who these people were or what they wanted. They just knew that they were captured and would probably die a horrible death.
- I know frighteningly little about history. Not just the history of Mayan or other ancient civilizations, but history in general. I can no longer name all the presidents of the 20th century. I don't know the major battles of the major wars of the West. I don't know anything about Russian, Chinese, or Indian history. It's sad, really. This movie made me realize how little I know-- not by really teaching me anything, but by my own confusion throughout the movie. I didn't even realize they were Mayans until I saw the temple thingers, and even then I thought maybe they could've been Aztecs. Is this as pathetic as it sounds? Somebody help me out here. Was anyone else lost during this film?
- Even though this film was really violent, I didn't think it was as violent as Braveheart or Saving Private Ryan or The Messenger. Maybe I didn't feel it was so violent because the violence was mostly without the use of higher technology. It was a lot of chopping off heads or knifing people or arrows going through chests just bashing in skulls. It didn't seem as violent as seeing body parts getting blown off by a bomb or someone getting shot twenty times. There wasn't a whole lot of blood spraying everywhere as someone got a broadsword through the heart. Even though the priest dude cut open people's chests and held up their still-beating hearts, that didn't seem so bad somehow. Does this mean I'm a complete sicko? Or that I'm desensitized to brutal violence?
- I liked the irony of seeing the Spanish land on the beach at the end. The Mayans were doing exactly what the Spanish would eventually do, but on a small scale and to their own people. I suppose they got their comeuppins.
I know Mel Gibson is supposed to be all crazy and bigoted and alcoholic and stuff now, but he makes a good film, I think. What did you think, those of you who saw the film? |
Name: Ruthie