Apocalypto is the Mel Gibson-directed flick set in the time of the Mayan Empire – or rather the decline of the Empire.

It’s really about a villager who doesn’t know about the Mayans or their crazy city. He and his village get whooped by Mayan slavers/kidnappers and marched to Tichuaxan (sp?) and a lot of the opening stuff is particularly brutal to those who have a family. Its all played believably, treating the Indians as average folks going about their lives. Violence is part of that (they are hunters) but so too is humor and family (or for the Mayans, crazy on-the-edge city life). There’s nothing racist about this movie – it just portrays people as people with real passions and needs.

It’s all acted by Native Americans of one kind or another (some I believe are North Americans and some Central) and all in a Mayan dialect with English subtitles. I’m glad that Whitey doesn’t play a part in this movie – too many movies don’t believe people will go see a movie unless there’s representation by a white actor (think The Last Samurai).

I’ve always been interested in the Mayan empire (and the Aztecs/Incans) since they built some amazing cities and not that long ago in some cases. I kind of wish this movie had been more about the Mayans – the people who managed to build an empire and create amazing temples and pyramid – instead of an outsider.

But it isn’t that movie – it’s a capture -> revelation -> chase movie – and a pretty good one at that. Very bloody, very violent movie at times – but nothing you haven’t seen before in other Mel Gibson movies. I particularly loved the ending – though I’m not sure of its historical accuracy but, even if its wrong, it works exceptionally well for the theme of the movie. No spoilers.

Score: 83