Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)
by Mel Gibson
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DVD details
Actor: Dalia Hernández, Gerardo Taracena, Jonathan Brewer, Raoul Trujillo, Rudy YoungbloodDirector: 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
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: Multilingual (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Multilingual (Original Language)
Format: NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 139 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-05-22
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
Product features:
- All Movie Guide - As the foundation of the Mayan civilization begins to crumble, one man's previously idyllic existence is forever changed when he is chosen as a sacrifice needed to appease the gods in director Mel Gibson's mythic, end-times adventure. The Mayan kingdom is at the absolute height of opulence and power, but leaders are convinced that unless more temples are constructed and m
DVD Reviews of Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)
DVD Review: Graphic Violence Not as Extreme as Expected, but Not as Action-Packed, Either
Summary: 4 Stars
MEL GIBSON'S APOCALYPTO is a decent period piece. The costumes and sets, and scenery are great. The actors are very likable. The story is decent. It seems to teach something about ancient tribal life in South America, though many historical details have been protested against since the film was released. Although it is not as intense as I expected, it does have some nice family values displayed, among the main character and his family, which is an unexpected plus.
The violence in APOCALYTPO is not as non-stop as I was led to believe from the hype and reviews when it was in theaters. Maybe I am too desensitized by more gratuitously violent films, like KILL BILL 1, (which I only saw once, due to it's wallowing in realistic cartoon violence, though it was a cleverly made film by Quentin Tarantino). Kill Bill, Volume 1
Compared to Mel Gibson's most successful masterpiece movie, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, the violence in APOCALYPTO is a lot less non-stop than in the movie about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ! Unfortunately, the action level in APOCALYPTO is a bit low, too. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST did not need action, since it had very intense religious content. APOCALYPTO doesn't have any weighty religious subject matter to hold the audience's interest, so it really needs action to be entertaining. The Passion of the Christ (Definitive Edition)
I thought APOCALYPTO was a Chase movie, but the chase doesn't really begin until the last 30 minutes of the film, though it is this movie's best part, and too quickly over, in my opinion.
The film starts with 25 minutes of friendly village life, which is sometimes too contemporary, (in the way of dirty joke humor). This is distracting and takes away from the exotic mystery and feel of watching a primitive tribe, hundreds of years ago. In the Director's Commentary, they explain that these ancient people had a carnal language and disposition, even to the point of using the equivalent of the F-word, in the subtitles, at one point. Apparently Mel Gibson thought having the characters act coarse, doing dirty practical jokes, and cussing in the subtitles would make this film more accurate to the characters. If they say so, I guess, but I found it distracting until they explained this aspect of the film and writing.
The bad guys are then introduced as fighting ensues, and then the middle bulk of the film is all marching through the jungle and arriving in an ancient South American city where human sacrifices are being conducted to appease their pagan god. This middle section of the film is okay, and they make it look interesting with the jungle scenery and the ancient city life, but it is low on action. It does manage to look and feel very exotic, which is entertaining and mysterious, though not too exciting.
The best part of the film is when our hero breaks free and is chased through the jungle, back to his village, with the bad guys in hot pursuit, but now, unlike the long and slow march from the village, our hero is free from his bonds and can attempt to fight back at the bad guys. The run back to the village goes twice as fast as the march away, so it seems like the village wasn't that far away from the evil city, after all, and the chase seems to end too soon, because of that. It also makes it seem like a gap in logic that our hero's village never realized the danger of the violent citizens from the big city nearby!
Many native, non-actors were used, and unfortunately it sometimes shows with the more minor characters, despite that most of the actors are very likable, many are not very good at hiding that they are, indeed, acting for a movie camera. If you have ever mugged into a home video camera, hamming it up for your friends and cracking up laughing after pretending to be serious, then you might recognize some of the actors doing that in quite a few scenes. They should be wearing a serious look for the whole scene, but instead they get a betraying, wide-eyed smile that they seem to be holding back, waiting for the director to yell "Cut!"
There is a mildly controversial scene when characters witness the arrival of the white man on their shores, carrying the Christian cross to symbolize the arrival of Christianity (I suppose), and the natives run away from them, preferring the jungle over Christian civilization (as the controversy was stated). I don't mind this scene because, even though I can see how one could easily recognize this subtle message, I am not entirely convinced that an anti-Christian message is the intent of the scene. It could just as easily be about anti-western values, not just against Christian values. No mild controversy is warranted by this scene in my opinion. Actually, I think the scene makes perfect sense in that the natives are wary and suspicious of outsiders and foreigners, after all that they had gone through in APOCALYPTO, before this scene. So, to me, it seems more like a joke than a statement on multiculturalism. Whatever was meant or perceived, in the Director's Commentary Mel Gibson says this was the first scene that he envisioned before starting work on the film, and it was supposed to be like a funny incident that the bad guys are so surprised by the sight of the foreigners that they are immediately distracted from the chase!
I think it is strange that Mel Gibson made this movie next, after his best, most famous and successful film, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. It seems to me that Mel got the wrong idea about why THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST was a huge hit. He seems to have thought that making an historical story, in a foreign land, using ancient languages, and including very graphic violence, was the "formula" for the success of THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, instead of its great interest by Christians around the globe, who had never seen a film as intense as THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, as a Bible movie. I wish he would have made a prequel or sequel to THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST! Oh, well.
The DVD bonuses are decent. Mel gives a good director's commentary track with his friend, the producer/co-writer, which is especially good in explaining the events and scenes in the big city and the rituals and activities of the ancient people. They say that the real life people were actually more violent than what is portrayed in the human sacrifices scene. The Making Of documentary is the usual stuff, but it is only about 30 minutes long. There is only one deleted scene, even though in the director's commentary Mel mentions that he shot a longer scene of a baby being taken from its mother in the village raid, but they thought it was too extreme, (for THIS movie, APOCALYPTO?).
Overall, this film is pretty good entertainment, and it gets more enjoyable for me after going through the bonus features. Upon repeated viewings, I like the movie more and more.
Some of the scenes and situations are actually pretty clever, classic type film situations, where the danger and stakes increase as fast as the time is running out to succeed!
Many of my friends are lined up to borrow my DVD of APOCALYPTO, so that is worth buying this DVD for, too, since folks are curious about this film and it is fun to share with your friends!
If you are intrigued by primitive tribal life in South America, I can recommend BEYOND THE GATES OF SPLENDOR on DVD, which is a documentary of a famous, real life murder of three Christian missionaries trying to evangelize a dangerous, primitive tribe in South America, in the 1950s. Beyond the Gates of Splendor
Description of Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)
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.'Bestsellers in DVD
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