Apocalypto

This hyperactive indie flick is never boring even for a moment – as long as you have popcorn. The deeper intellectual dimension is only artificially grafted on and, together with the gratuitous violence, undermines the film. Apocalypto could have been either an excellent family film or a great existential drama, but it’s unsuitable for children because of its brutality and it turns off adults with its thematic shallowness. On top of that, the visuals look cheap due to the large number of shots filmed with a digital camera. The dynamics and editing are great, but the filters could have been put to better use, which would have helped the appearance of the film, giving it the look that makes The Passion of the Christ an audio-visual gem. Apocalypto is a thrilling experience, but a few days after watching it, you remember it as a forgettable farce that missed the mark. (06/02/2007)

Gibson obviously doesn't like his characters very much for reasons unknown. Jaguar Paw goes through hell, sees his friends die and, badly wounded, fights for his bare life on land, under waterfalls or in deadly swamps, only for the sake of a simple mainstream story and to satisfy a popcorn audience hungry for blood, action and convenient clichés. It must be admitted that we all have at least a bit of such a viewer in us and that Apocalypto is a unique Hollywood adventure that is not boring, is loaded with adrenaline and brings a glimpse into a now mythical stage of human history that we have never seen before. Mel's laudable intentions, backed by an attempt at heavy naturalism and crowned with undeniable formal precision and efficiency, starting with the ancient language and believable actors and ending with the aggressive music, editing and attractive setting, are nice, but in the end they stand out terribly negatively and the targeted authenticity is undermined by the unnecessarily overblown "cinematic" brutality, the too conspicuously digital sequences (especially the monkey fight over the abyss was completely out of place), and finally the story itself, which is far too contrived to appeal the masses and relies on a kind of supernaturalism thanks to which the protagonist always escapes alive despite less than zero odds. It's great to watch and I'm very glad that something like this could be made, but next time it would need a more distinctive, less trite concept... 80% (06/02/2012)

It's not the ideal film. The script, despite its compelling point, works with unrealistic clichés taken from another genre. But to Mel's credit, he has turned many eyes of the world to this part of world history. There are never enough of these events. With the help of the original language, non-actors, and incredibly fascinating sets, he has achieved a true goal. Now there may be a wave that will eclipse even sword-and-sandal films, charting all those civilizations that have always been overshadowed for filmmakers by stereotypical antiquity. (04/01/2011)

It’s a pity the content is so rudimentary, because Mel Gibson proves that he doesn't care about Hollywood's standards and does whatever he wants. The concept of Apocalypto is already interesting in itself since there hasn't been a film about an ancient civilization like this before – if at all – so you must await with anticipation to see what will unfold. It's quite typical of Gibson, with lots of blood, a structured plot full of action and dynamics, plus a subtle hint of some kind of mythology that serves more for visual enjoyment. The enormous temples in the city are truly impressive. The presence of the digital camera was also somewhat debatable and unnecessary, but overall the level of entertainment is decent. It's a shame that it lacks the emotional depth that Braveheart, for exmaple, had. (14/07/2007)

Gibson has balls. To have the nerve to make a movie that ends up basically as one big chase through the ancient history of the Maya civilization, you have to have them. Although a bit more editing might have been an improvement, I am basically pleased with Apocalypto. And not forgetting Horner’s excellent music, too. (07/12/2007)