Cinema: Apocalypto

After the controversial film "The Passion of the Christ" (2004), Mel Gibson comes up with "Apocalypto". As we know he is a religious conservative character (a sedisvacantist, a roman catholic current which does not accept the Second Vatican council) and his intentions are never innocent and not to be trusted. His recent films show a nearly insane addiction to blood, violence, cruelty and punishment. One should not expect much content, particular profoundness or message here, and certainly not any particular historical veracity! Yet Gibson knows how to make an action film and how to build quite impressive scenarios and decors, although the film is a bit too long, I felt. But it is effective and breathtaking at moments.

The reconstruction of urban Mayan cities is impressive, yet remains quite superficial and short, leaving most of the action to take place in the jungle (and most of it is the chase of the main character through the jungle and his struggle for survival). Gibson films how the urban-Mayas abduct other people who live in the jungle and countryside to bring them to the city and used them in human sacrifices to please the Gods, bring rain, etc, showing urban Mayan life as exuberant and decadent (reminding us of ancient Rome) as opposed to the more simple family-based and ‘pure’ jungle life. It seems most of the actors were beginners and they had to speak a Mayan language (yucatec) which works quite well in the movie, I must say. But the film finds its limits in its cheap violence and cruelty scenes and unfortunately transmits an inaccurate account of historic facts and Mayan culture (and the arrival of Spanish conquistadors, who actually arrived when most Mayan cities had already declined – the classical period ended in the 9th century AD even though certain cities continued into the XVth century, but most cities had been abandoned).

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**/5