APOCALYPTO

Mel Gibson tackles the fall of the Mayan empire in the epic APOCALYPTO. Within the Mayans own civilization, unrest is underway. Fearing that the apocalypse is upon them, rulers of the Mayan kingdom determine that human sacrifice is necessary to appease the gods. Jaguar Paw, played by Rudy Youngblood, is one of many rural Mayan villagers ravaged, seized and marked for death. Unwilling, Jaguar Paw seeks to break-free from his oppressors and return home to save his expecting wife and son.

For all of the media exposure Gibson has been receiving for APOCALYPTO, one would think that a cinematic apocalypse is upon us. Despite all of the hype, APOCALYPTO is more or less a strikingly visceral, standard action picture. Thematically, the film has little, if nothing to offer, but the thrills of the non-stop adrenaline fueled action sequences make for exhilarating cinema. Youngblood may not have a future as an action star, but he embodies the role of Jaguar Paw with a stern, yet impassioned disposition. Gibson served as co-writer on the film, and his knack for wordplay leaves little to be desired. Many of the phrases the Mayans use seem more suited for Lethal Weapon, than an ancient civilization. What Gibson lacks in writing, he almost makes up for in directing. The jungles of Mexico create a frightening and mysterious locale, and the center of the Mayan Kingdom is majestic in spite of the barbaric scenarios occurring within its walls. APOCALYPTO is an often thrilling, good-looking picture that doesn’t amount to much.

Grade: C+