It seems real. And however you might feel about Gibson or his antics, that's no small achievement.
Authenticity?
Given how little we know of Mayan culture, this film, set in the early 1500s, has an easy sell. The obsolete language, the costumes, the ethnic casting, and the gorgeous Mexican jungle all contribute to the grand illusion that we've stepped back in time. There are plenty of interesting details, too, the most wonderful example being an ingenious method of stitching up a wound: grab a carpenter ant and let it bite over the cut, then break off the body so the head and mandibles are still in place, holding the skin together. Other small details like that add a sense of authenticity, so much so that we don't even question whether pre-Columbian people really lived this way. Same with the heads of sacrificial victims that are tossed off the pyramid so they bounce down the steps. It could have happened, but who can say one way or another? What matters to a filmmaker, who takes as much license as a poet, is that it makes for good visual drama. The most inauthentic moments come, really, during the climactic chase scene and with an ending that relies more on coincidence than logic. But I can certainly live with that, because the film is just so visually and emotionally rich in other areas.
Video:
"Apocalypto" is just the kind of film you like to watch in HD. It's a visual feast, with eye-popping action that pops even more off the screen when there's so much more detail to see. The colors are deep and vibrant, and even low-light scenes have a good amount of detail, due, in part, to strong black levels throughout. The 1080p hi-def picture is presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio.
Audio:
Here's a soundtrack you won't see too often: a Mayan/Yucatec 5.1 PCM (uncompressed 48kHz, 24-bit) audio that's as pure and precise as the picture. For those whose equipment isn't capable of handling that option there's a straight Mayan/Yucatec Dolby Digital 5.1.
Extras:
For a film that's audacious in so many ways, it's surprising that there aren't more extras--or rather, more substantial ones. A feature commentary with Gibson and writer-producer Farhad Safinia is decent, with the two of them fairly glib and enjoying themselves throughout. They cover mostly expected bases, though, and never really get into the level of behind-the-scenes detail that I personally crave with a film like this. Same with "Becoming Mayan: Creating 'Apocalypto'," which offers the usual blend of location, costumes, make-up, and directing blend. Even a deleted scene with optional commentary by Gibson and Safinia evokes little more than a shrug. Overall, they're just slightly above average, at best.
Bottom Line:
"A great civilization is not able to be conquered from without until is has destroyed itself from within." So Will Durant says, in so many words, of the fall of the Roman Empire. You can't begin a film with a quote like that and title the film "Apocalypto" without intending it--at least in part--as a cautionary fable. And there are certainly other elements that would prompt audiences to read this as a "be careful, America" tale. But even if you ignore the broader implied messages, "Apocalypto" still works well on the level of a historical action-drama. Yes, there's some pretty dramatic violence, but no more than there was in "Braveheart" or "Platoon," two Academy Award-winners. And when you deal with a hunting and sacrificial culture, you can expect a little blood and guts. Hearts grabbed from a chest with the victim still briefly aware? We saw it in the second Indiana Jones film. But here it's real. Correction: here, it seems real. And however you might feel about Gibson or his antics, that's no small achievement.
Given how little we know of Mayan culture, this film, set in the early 1500s, has an easy sell. The obsolete language, the costumes, the ethnic casting, and the gorgeous Mexican jungle all contribute to the grand illusion that we've stepped back in time. There are plenty of interesting details, too, the most wonderful example being an ingenious method of stitching up a wound: grab a carpenter ant and let it bite over the cut, then break off the body so the head and mandibles are still in place, holding the skin together. Other small details like that add a sense of authenticity, so much so that we don't even question whether pre-Columbian people really lived this way. Same with the heads of sacrificial victims that are tossed off the pyramid so they bounce down the steps. It could have happened, but who can say one way or another? What matters to a filmmaker, who takes as much license as a poet, is that it makes for good visual drama. The most inauthentic moments come, really, during the climactic chase scene and with an ending that relies more on coincidence than logic. But I can certainly live with that, because the film is just so visually and emotionally rich in other areas.
Video:
"Apocalypto" is just the kind of film you like to watch in HD. It's a visual feast, with eye-popping action that pops even more off the screen when there's so much more detail to see. The colors are deep and vibrant, and even low-light scenes have a good amount of detail, due, in part, to strong black levels throughout. The 1080p hi-def picture is presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio.
Audio:
Here's a soundtrack you won't see too often: a Mayan/Yucatec 5.1 PCM (uncompressed 48kHz, 24-bit) audio that's as pure and precise as the picture. For those whose equipment isn't capable of handling that option there's a straight Mayan/Yucatec Dolby Digital 5.1.
Extras:
For a film that's audacious in so many ways, it's surprising that there aren't more extras--or rather, more substantial ones. A feature commentary with Gibson and writer-producer Farhad Safinia is decent, with the two of them fairly glib and enjoying themselves throughout. They cover mostly expected bases, though, and never really get into the level of behind-the-scenes detail that I personally crave with a film like this. Same with "Becoming Mayan: Creating 'Apocalypto'," which offers the usual blend of location, costumes, make-up, and directing blend. Even a deleted scene with optional commentary by Gibson and Safinia evokes little more than a shrug. Overall, they're just slightly above average, at best.
Bottom Line:
"A great civilization is not able to be conquered from without until is has destroyed itself from within." So Will Durant says, in so many words, of the fall of the Roman Empire. You can't begin a film with a quote like that and title the film "Apocalypto" without intending it--at least in part--as a cautionary fable. And there are certainly other elements that would prompt audiences to read this as a "be careful, America" tale. But even if you ignore the broader implied messages, "Apocalypto" still works well on the level of a historical action-drama. Yes, there's some pretty dramatic violence, but no more than there was in "Braveheart" or "Platoon," two Academy Award-winners. And when you deal with a hunting and sacrificial culture, you can expect a little blood and guts. Hearts grabbed from a chest with the victim still briefly aware? We saw it in the second Indiana Jones film. But here it's real. Correction: here, it seems real. And however you might feel about Gibson or his antics, that's no small achievement.
Average user rating (1-5):
[release]21322[/release]