Apocalypto [Blu-ray]

Apocalypto [Blu-ray]
by Mel Gibson

Apocalypto [Blu-ray]

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Blu-ray details

Actor: Dalia Hernández, Gerardo Taracena, Jonathan Brewer, Raoul Trujillo, Rudy Youngblood
Director: Mel Gibson
Brand: Buena Vista Home Video
Producer: Mel Gibson
Writer: Mel Gibson
Producer: Bruce Davey
Producer: Farhad Safinia
Writer: Farhad Safinia
Producer: Ned Dowd
Producer: Sergio Miranda
Blu-ray: Region Code 1
Audio: Multilingual (Unknown); English (Subtitled)
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 139 minutes
Published: 2007-05-01
Blu-ray Release Date: 2007-05-22
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Touchstone Home Entertainment
Product features:

From Mel Gibson, director of the Academy Award(R)-winning BRAVEHEART (Best Director, Best Picture, 1995), comes APOCALYPTO, the thrilling historical epic that will shock and awe you as never before on Blu-ray Disc. Dubbed "totally mesmerizing" by "Dark Horizons," this adrenaline-drenched action-adventure reaches new levels of intensity in this extraordinary format. In the twilight of the mysteriou

Blu-ray Reviews of Apocalypto [Blu-ray]

Blu-ray Review: A Riveting Movie that Must be Seen
Summary: 4 Stars

Okay, first to dispel the silly notion that the Mayan city-states were long gone by the time the Spanish came to town.

Yes, it's true that the original major Mayan centers were abandoned in the Classic-period collapse, but the Mayan culture survived past that. Around 1200 AD, the Mayan culture experienced a revival and competing city-states emerged. Please keep in mind that the Mayan culture was not just one centralized culture, but that of several different peoples with cultural similarities. They have been likened to the Greeks in that aspect. These facts have been drawn from both Wikipedia and the Britannica. See below for sources.

Now onto the movie which is the real purpose of this review.

Visually and aurally, this movie is an impressive feat. The image was clear, crisp, and vibrant, and the music was gripping and at times haunting. It set the tone very well. In fact, I at times had difficulty focusing on the screen due to the incredible detail of the images. I have never had this problem with other Blu-ray movies, but this movie was so full of color and detail that I had to look away every so often.

The story is gripping and leaves one wondering what's going to happen next. Without going into too many story details, I was often left wondering if Jaguar Paw would make it away safely in one piece - while in the back of my mind a voice, not very confident, would chant that "of course the good guy will make it out alive" - or if he will successfully reunite with his family.

That the movie uses the Mayan language and gives us English subtitles is a plus in my book. Hearing them speak that language, coupled with the imagery and sound, I was transported to another world. It made the movie appear all that more authentic and convincing; I don't think they could have achieved that level of immersion had they used English speaking actors, and to dub over their voices in English would have seemed banal at best.

However, what kept this movie from a perfect five in my book was what I perceived as an impediment of the ambiance. The movie attempts to be epic in the struggle of the protagonist in his mad-dash for survival, yet the movie felt very "cramped". From the city-center to the forest, I never felt that the world portrayed in the movie was open or big in any way. Even the temple appeared to be "small." I understand that the movie isn't a "forty-days and forty-nights" type adventure, but it almost seemed as if the Mayan temple was in the back yard of Jagaur Paw's village. I know that the reality they were trying to convey was otherwise, and this may just be my opinion, but it just didn't feel very grand.

Aside from that hindrance, I feel that the movie has earned all the accolades it has received, and not all of the criticisms that have been placed upon it. Yes, the movie is filled with lots of blood and gore. The latter Mayan culture had become more militaristic after the initial classical-period collapse, and human sacrifice is indeed involved. There is an abundance of graphic death portrayals and dismemberment. There is also nudity - shock, gasp, *insert cries of distress* - so sensitive and tender eyes should not observe.
Also, politically-correct aficionados need not apply; the movie is very blunt in portraying this culture in all of its beauty, progression, and brutality. Like all cultures, they had their good qualities and their bad, and I feel the movie did an admirable job in balancing that. Others may not see it this way, but c'est la vie.

All considered, this is an excellent movie that experiences few hiccups. It isn't a children's film at all, but remains very human at its core. It feels authentic and, while I would never use any movie to teach history, I know I felt convinced by the world depicted. Again I stress that this is a movie, thus it cannot be taken for history verbatim.

Needless to say, I highly recommend seeing this film; I find it is an enthralling story of courage and sacrifice (no pun) that will remain enjoyable for many years.

*Side Note*
If you want to research for yourself about the Mayan culture, its collapse and rebirth, or whatever, below are the sources I drew upon. No, I didn't focus on making sure it was proper MLA format (*rolls eyes*), it's a review not a college thesis. There are many other sources out there and I certainly recommend making oneself more informed. Knowledge is power and all that.

[...]

Goetz, Philip W., ed. "Mexico - History." Encyclopaedia Britannic. 15th ed. 1989.
[More specifically, Pages 38-41 of volume 24]

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Description of Apocalypto [Blu-ray]

From Mel Gibson, director of The Passion Of The Christ and the Academy Award® winning Braveheart (Best Director, Best Picture, 1995) comes the thrilling historical epic Apocalypto. This intense, nonstop action-adventure transports you to an ancient South American civilization, for an experience unlike anything you?ve ever known. In the twilight of the mysterious Mayan culture, young Jaguar Paw is captured and taken to the great Mayan city where he faces a harrowing end. Driven by the power of his love for his wife and son, he makes an adrenaline-soaked, heart-racing escape to rescue them and ultimately save his way of life. Filled with unrelenting action and stunning cinematography, Apocalypto is an enthralling and unforgettable film experience.

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