Apocalypto

This movie deserves its space on ‘Book of Rev’. Ever since I saw it, I have been wondering how does one write a review of a movie so ‘different’ like this! But I think I must, since I doubt whether it’ll ever pass Indian censorship. Set in the 16th century, it aims to capture the decline of the Mayan civilization. The Mayans capture nearby peaceful tribes and offer human sacrifices at the pyramid of Kukulkan to appease the gods.

Apocalypto is a Mel Gibson movie. Review ends.

I read several reviews on the web and even the experts concur on one point – Never before has human manslaughter been shown more graphically. I am generally staid at all forms of violence but watching a heart been carved out from its torso, the head severed and thrown down the stairs of a pyramid, the same sequence carefully repeated with the next prisoner… was too much.

Mel Gibson movies are different. If he wants to show a pregnant woman, he’ll show one and not used stuffed cardboard. If he wants to show sex, he’ll show sex instead of resorting to cheap insinuations. If he wants to show a man being cut into two, he’ll make sure the right amount of blood splatters in the right directions. If he shows a Mayan movie set in the 16th century he ll use their language (Yucatec) and not English. There are some things I really admire about him.

For once I am totally at a loss. I think I am not qualified to judge this movie, neither do I want to recommend/not recommend it. Judge it yourself … if you choose to!