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APOCALYPTO (2006) (***1/2)

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Tackling many of the same issues as his BRAVEHEART, Mel Gibson's APOCALYPTO is an edge-of-your-seat adventure made all the more compelling via its unique setting. Gibson knows how to dramatize action and make us care about his characters.

Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood, SPIRIT: THE SEVENTH FIRE) is a young Mayan warrior, who cherishes his family — pregnant wife Seven (Dalia Hernandez, film debut) and young son Turtles Run (Carlos Emilio Baez, film debut). He listens intently to the wise advice of his father Flint Sky (Morris Birdyellowhead, TV's INTO THE WEST) and he loves to poke fun at his younger brother Blunted (Jonathan Brewer, DREAMKEEPER), who is having a hard time conceiving a child. However, their idyllic life comes crashing down when their small village is attacked by Mayan warriors looking to take slaves. Zero Wolf (Raoul Trujillo, THE NEW WORLD) leads the savage warriors, which include the slimy Snake Ink (Rodolfo Palacios, screen debut).

Essentially, the film is made up of three parts — the introduction to the village, the attack and transport of the villagers to the Mayan city and Jaguar Paw's race through the jungle with Zero Wolf in hot pursuit. Gibson and co-writer Farhad Safinia kick off the story with a nice action sequence involving the hunting of a wild boar. Gibson then establishes the social dynamic of the villagers, injecting his love for "guy talk" and slapstick. All this good cheer is quickly gone once the warriors arrive. The brutality of the attack is done in a way that isn't gratuitous, but underlines the severity of the situation. Many young horror directors should take notes to learn how gore is used to illicit tension not vomiting.

Gibson heightens the impact of the story by nicely weaving in details of the Mayan culture. I particularly liked the way Seven stitches up a gash on her son's leg. Additionally, the look and feel of the Mayan city is epic. It's the attention to detail that makes the film so fresh and original. We witness visuals that we haven't seen all to often on screen. The Mayan language also adds believability and flare. Moreover, Gibson also finds an ingenious way to add a new "ticking clock" element, which makes it all the more imperative that Jaguar Paw succeed and succeed quickly.

As for the no name cast, Gibson has found new stars. Youngblood has a great screen presence and an expressive face. His big "I am Jaguar Paw" speech at the foot of the waterfall makes you want to stand up and cheer. It's a grand piece of dialogue, but Gibson earns it, because he makes care about what happens to the characters. He even cares enough to parallel the motivations of his hero and chief villain. Both Trujillo and Palacios make us hate their characters without hamming it up.

The film isn't some grand metaphor for the impending downfall of the American empire as some have said. It's just a skillfully constructed and originally envisioned chase film. It's an action flick made with an artist's touch.

Rick DeMott's picture

Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks