APOCALYPTO --- movie

[maddu]

Hi everyone! Does anyone here have already watch the movie APOCALYPTO by Mel Gibson? My friends told me that this movie is so nice and very electrifying adventure. I haven't watch the trailer yet, has anyone has an idea about this movie?

Thanks!

 

[derek]

It's good. I find it to be quite honest and interesting film making. I think Gibson is a talented director, and to an extent writer. Some of the shots, the angles and sometimes the lack of dialogue all help to paint a very delicate and endearing picture.

I liked it, in short.

 

[facial debris]

It was pretty good, I saw it a few weeks back, the only thing is is that if you take historical accuracy really seriously then you probably wont like it. But from a purely non-historical perspective its quite good.

 

[speed]

Ive been meaning to see this for awhile, but it disappeared quite quickly from theaters over here.

I understand the cinematography is Fellini-esque, or what a bloodthirsty Fellini film would look like. But, the Mayans have a bloodthirsty religious history that hardly translates to a capitalist god-less western audience.

 

[Pessimism]

Quite enjoyable, although I would have preferred the film he used on "The Passion", the quality was much better imo.

 

[Astrum]

Step One:

Watch this video. Towards the end (about 3/4 of the way through) there will be a series of quick cuts. When you see a screaming monkey, pause the video immediately.


http://www.apple.com/trailers/touchstone/apocalypto/teaser_large.html

Step Two:

Slowly tap the rewind button. Do not hold it down or you will miss it. Soon you will see a hidden message. You will know it when you see it. If not, you did something wrong... Or you're an idiot.

If you have already seen this, don't ruin it.

.

 

[Alcapoth]

This just MAY be the best movie of 2007 I haven't even seen yet. What a travesty, as I think Gibson is such a fine director. Braveheart is one of my favourite movies I have ever seen and The Passion was beautifully epic.

I'll probably buy the film once it arrives on DVD, that is, if it hasn't already.

 

[metu]

This movie is a travesty. The depiction of regular folks living in a small community in the forest is fine. The depiction of an imperial power coming to enslave them is fine. I'm not even mad about the fact that Europeans are on the horizon about 500 years too soon. What offends me is the theme of the power-center.

First of all, the simple folk living in the jungle are far too similar to the idealized shepherd community of the ancient Hebrews. They were then enslaved and to be offered for sacrifice at the place of the great pyramids. This is the most effective method of christianizing American Indians: show how their legends fit with the Bible.

Far worse in my opinion is the scene in the city around the pyramid which was apparently only constructed to provide a stage for human sacrifice. There is no evidence supporting the notion that the Mayans practiced human sacrifice. There is ample evidence that they were tremendously sophisticated in their understanding of astronomy; their calendar was more accurate than ours is. Yet these people are depicted as a bunch of brain-dead, drooling wackos overcome by bloodlust who panic when they see an eclipse.

Perhaps the most important part is that the priests did not believe. There was a clear union between the religious leaders and the political leaders that was based on nothing but material power. This is a Christian condemning superstition just as clearly as those who followed the conquistadors.

Fuck this movie.

 

[Devotio]

Derp.

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

It was good untill the evil faggots in the boats arrived.

 

[Vimana]

^

Fucking awesome and fast paced. It was sweet.

This movie is a travesty. The depiction of regular folks living in a small community in the forest is fine. The depiction of an imperial power coming to enslave them is fine. I'm not even mad about the fact that Europeans are on the horizon about 500 years too soon. What offends me is the theme of the power-center.

First of all, the simple folk living in the jungle are far too similar to the idealized shepherd community of the ancient Hebrews. They were then enslaved and to be offered for sacrifice at the place of the great pyramids. This is the most effective method of christianizing American Indians: show how their legends fit with the Bible.

Far worse in my opinion is the scene in the city around the pyramid which was apparently only constructed to provide a stage for human sacrifice. There is no evidence supporting the notion that the Mayans practiced human sacrifice. There is ample evidence that they were tremendously sophisticated in their understanding of astronomy; their calendar was more accurate than ours is. Yet these people are depicted as a bunch of brain-dead, drooling wackos overcome by bloodlust who panic when they see an eclipse.

Perhaps the most important part is that the priests did not believe. There was a clear union between the religious leaders and the political leaders that was based on nothing but material power. This is a Christian condemning superstition just as clearly as those who followed the conquistadors.

Fuck this movie.

Who gives a shit if it was historically accurate?

 

[Evil Dead]

This movie rules because of one reason....When the natives see the White Man coming, they know their lives as they know it, is over. The movie ended on such a good down note, it was excellent. Silly Spanish explorers!!

 

[Patrick Bateman]

It's brutal.

I love it, I could go massively in depth as to why I like it and recall a lot of film terminology but that would be a waste of time.

I love the Aztec and Mayan culture (from playing Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion far too much) so it was interesting to see. I loved the ritual sacrifice; they used to sacrifice countless people everyday as they believed blood gave the Sun power and helped it rise every morning. Pure Brutox.

 

[HardCore666]

I would even go as far to say that Apocalypto was one of my favorite movies of 2007 (so far!). The fact that the movie was in subtitles did not bother me at all, perhaps because there was so little dialogue and so much action going on?

To a certain extent I feel for those who are disappointed with the movie and think its an inaccurate depiction of the Mayan culture. However, I think most history is inaccurate to some extent or another. Obviously this movie does not capture the Mayan culture as a whole, but a segment of their population. The same could be said about any movie really.

All in all I think Apocalypto is a great movie and I would recommend it to anyone. Mel Gibson may be bigot (at least when he's drunk haha) but he is a damn good director! Oh yeah, for those who liked Apocalypto or don't mind subtitled movies, check out City of God. It's very intense but exposes an enlightening,yet dark side of the slums of Rio de Janeiro.

 

[Patrick Bateman]

Dipictions of the Mayan were fine in my book, rumours of their civilisation being extorted should be ignored really because at the end of the day it's a film not a documentary, certain parts in films are altered from their historical counter-parts to make them more cinematically compelling.

 

[Manic Ferocity]

I usually hate newer movies but this was a pretty killer movie!

 

[Mr. Nekrophetamine]

This movie is a travesty. The depiction of regular folks living in a small community in the forest is fine. The depiction of an imperial power coming to enslave them is fine. I'm not even mad about the fact that Europeans are on the horizon about 500 years too soon. What offends me is the theme of the power-center.

First of all, the simple folk living in the jungle are far too similar to the idealized shepherd community of the ancient Hebrews. They were then enslaved and to be offered for sacrifice at the place of the great pyramids. This is the most effective method of christianizing American Indians: show how their legends fit with the Bible.

Far worse in my opinion is the scene in the city around the pyramid which was apparently only constructed to provide a stage for human sacrifice. There is no evidence supporting the notion that the Mayans practiced human sacrifice. There is ample evidence that they were tremendously sophisticated in their understanding of astronomy; their calendar was more accurate than ours is. Yet these people are depicted as a bunch of brain-dead, drooling wackos overcome by bloodlust who panic when they see an eclipse.

Perhaps the most important part is that the priests did not believe. There was a clear union between the religious leaders and the political leaders that was based on nothing but material power. This is a Christian condemning superstition just as clearly as those who followed the conquistadors.

Fuck this movie.

What the fuck? Comparing these people to hebrews? Where did that come from? Do you have any idea how many indigenous peoples, other than these two groups, actually lived like that? Obviously, many. It was just a way of life for many people across the world. Then I don't quite get what you're trying to say about "christianizing" american indians. Are you saying that all of these events where meant to appeal to the predominantly christian audience that would be viewing it? As advanced of a civilization as Mayans were at the time, they were not too different than other people in many respects. In support of that, many of the biblical events are far from unique themselves, especially the conflicts that took place between the egyptians, their rituals, and the hebrews. ... there is truly little correlation beyond what you'd want to see... and thus it is a horrible point to hold against the movie.

Throughout the movie, most of who you really see are this warrior caste; many bloodthirsty and vengeful, to perhaps better take on the role as antagonists. In this way, the movie did have to depict the Mayans in a certain way, because to glorify their knowledge and achievements would have all but removed the purpose of this movie: to depict the downfall of a civilization, and to show that through the eyes of those outside of that civilization. The eclipse was merely symbolic, as it was portrayed that in the movie, these were very bad times for the Mayans. They were believing in more superstitions as their lands became infertile and disease spread rampantly. Hence the omen from the child that stopped some of the warriors in their tracks... very well done, I might add.

I think what I've said in this last paragraph really holds ground for many who call out Apocalypto on how the Mayans should or should not have been portrayed. That was never really the intent of the movie, and I'm actually glad it wasn't.

All that said, I greatly enjoyed this movie, for many reasons already mentioned... but especially just how beautiful it turned out to be. I could just re-watch it with no sound and I end up wishing I could walk through a forest like that.