Comments on: Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto http://www.yucatanliving.com/editorial/mel-gibsons-apocalypto.htm Online magazine about living, working and traveling in Merida and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:05:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: geoffrey ellis aronson http://www.yucatanliving.com/editorial/mel-gibsons-apocalypto.htm/comment-page-1#comment-105376 geoffrey ellis aronson Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:13:25 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/editorial/mel-gibsons-apocalypto.htm#comment-105376 I´ve seen this movie too many times. It´s a wild adventure story, a concocted mixture of pseudo documentary and Indiana Jones. The fused genres don´t work as the story itself is so implausible that it defeats its primary origin, its documentary roots. Creating darts on the spur of the moment while being chased by the enemy was the ultimate absurdity. The hero of the film grabs a rain forest frog known for the venom on its skin, rubs it on a dart, rolls a palm frond from nearby and blows it at one of the passing enemies. Even Spielberg himself would not brazenly suspend belief over such an impossibility. Earlier, the hero had escaped his fate at getting his heart ripped out by the high priestess but is given a chance to run off by escaping thrown javelins from the bad guys. He gets hit badly in the leg, but manages to run through the jungle for the rest of the film at high speed. Yeah, very likely. Why not just turn this film into a cartoon and be done with it. I´ve seen this movie too many times. It´s a wild adventure story, a concocted mixture of pseudo documentary and Indiana Jones. The fused genres don´t work as the story itself is so implausible that it defeats its primary origin, its documentary roots.
Creating darts on the spur of the moment while being chased by the enemy was the ultimate absurdity. The hero of the film grabs a rain forest frog known for the venom on its skin, rubs it on a dart, rolls a palm frond from nearby and blows it at one of the passing enemies. Even Spielberg himself would not brazenly suspend belief over such an impossibility. Earlier, the hero had escaped his fate at getting his heart ripped out by the high priestess but is given a chance to run off by escaping thrown javelins from the bad guys. He gets hit badly in the leg, but manages to run through the jungle for the rest of the film at high speed. Yeah, very likely. Why not just turn this film into a cartoon and be done with it.

]]> By: remthealamo http://www.yucatanliving.com/editorial/mel-gibsons-apocalypto.htm/comment-page-1#comment-54066 remthealamo Sat, 30 Aug 2008 22:37:29 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/editorial/mel-gibsons-apocalypto.htm#comment-54066 I enjoyed the movie for at least showing much of the iconography and symbolism even as it was a mixture of aztec, maya and toltec. The jade worn by the high priests and the severely damaged forests used to constantly maintain structures was particularly meaningful as were the sores on the little girl's body and face which made me think of the west mexican pottery of the shaft tombs (nayarit, colima, jalisco) that often represented bodily sores in their pieces. I was disappointed that they did not attempt to use 'juego de pelota' or Pok Ta Pok. I enjoyed the movie for at least showing much of the iconography and symbolism even as it was a mixture of aztec, maya and toltec. The jade worn by the high priests and the severely damaged forests used to constantly maintain structures was particularly meaningful as were the sores on the little girl’s body and face which made me think of the west mexican pottery of the shaft tombs (nayarit, colima, jalisco) that often represented bodily sores in their pieces. I was disappointed that they did not attempt to use ‘juego de pelota’ or Pok Ta Pok.

]]> By: sky http://www.yucatanliving.com/editorial/mel-gibsons-apocalypto.htm/comment-page-1#comment-50731 sky Tue, 29 Jul 2008 23:06:11 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/editorial/mel-gibsons-apocalypto.htm#comment-50731 Here´s a commentary by Nikolai Grube and others: http://www.techno.mayix.net/wp-content/documentos/comentario_apocalypto.doc It's a bit more than just "historical innacuracy [sic]" Here´s a commentary by Nikolai Grube and others:

http://www.techno.mayix.net/wp-content/documentos/comentario_apocalypto.doc

It’s a bit more than just “historical innacuracy [sic]“

]]> By: Johnette http://www.yucatanliving.com/editorial/mel-gibsons-apocalypto.htm/comment-page-1#comment-50713 Johnette Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:41:45 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/editorial/mel-gibsons-apocalypto.htm#comment-50713 I just watched the movie... For the record i am white... I thought some of the indians were just cruel. vicious. and historically, i bet some were BUT I thought the main characters representation was just as valid. He was a kind soul that his "non violent" indian peers mercilessly ridiculed. this happens in every society. It is not racist.. it is just really showing a side of human nature that is contemteble. i am physsically disabled and have been threatened physically, emotionally degraded. it is not any different in any race, some people are just plain asses. I think he probably would have more people standing up for him than one person though.. i mean a whole village gave him crud except ONE PERSON? No.... I didn't take it as the Spaniards coming to rescue the Mayans.. Come on.. again I am a white girl... The rescuers raped and pillaged and threw you out of your own land...They are not the nice guys.. they went down in history as doing it for religious reasons but they weren't... Anywho, just my thoughts. I know the historical innacuracy burns you. I thought though the main character was just as strong a character of indians as the others.. I just watched the movie… For the record i am white…

I thought some of the indians were just cruel. vicious. and historically, i bet some were BUT

I thought the main characters representation was just as valid. He was a kind soul that his “non violent” indian peers mercilessly ridiculed. this happens in every society. It is not racist.. it is just really showing a side of human nature that is contemteble. i am physsically disabled and have been threatened physically, emotionally degraded. it is not any different in any race, some people are just plain asses. I think he probably would have more people standing up for him than one person though.. i mean a whole village gave him crud except ONE PERSON? No….

I didn’t take it as the Spaniards coming to rescue the Mayans.. Come on.. again I am a white girl… The rescuers raped and pillaged and threw you out of your own land…They are not the nice guys.. they went down in history as doing it for religious reasons but they weren’t…

Anywho, just my thoughts. I know the historical innacuracy burns you. I thought though the main character was just as strong a character of indians as the others..

]]> By: Cuba1902 http://www.yucatanliving.com/editorial/mel-gibsons-apocalypto.htm/comment-page-1#comment-47705 Cuba1902 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 01:44:16 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/editorial/mel-gibsons-apocalypto.htm#comment-47705 I thought the movie Apocalypto was excellent! Loved every minute of it. This movie was one of Mel Gibson's better movies he has made along with Passion of the Christ. I don't think he left a detail out which is how all movies should be made. This production took some time to create and his direction was great! Keep it up Mel and bring more movies like this to the screen! I thought the movie Apocalypto was excellent! Loved every minute of it. This movie was one of Mel Gibson’s better movies he has made along with Passion of the Christ. I don’t think he left a detail out which is how all movies should be made. This production took some time to create and his direction was great! Keep it up Mel and bring more movies like this to the screen!

]]>