The logic in this crapfest was so half-baked that it's a wonder there were no random cuts to 1970s porn. [***Spoilers***]: Anyone who has played hide and seek should wonder why it's possible to hide in one's best friend's back yard for half an hour without being found, but it's impossible for a forest-wise Mayan to find reasonable cover *anywhere in the entire Mayan land,* without, of course, letting a single splash of blood fall just as your nemesis runs under your tree-top hiding place so that it may later be discovered and immediately ascertained by one of your cohorts that the blood must be from you and that you must be hiding in the trees. Because even though those cohorts have just been party to bloody sacrifice, any one of them will easily spot a drop of blood and know for sure that it's from you and your tree-hiding. Run in a straight line for 48 hours(!), and only when we do this scene with the arrows pointing directly at you should you run back and forth in an evasive way. But the arrows will still eventually hit you and all your friends. Because these are skilled Mayan bad guys, until certain scenes in which they've decided not to throw any sharp objects in your direction, which coincidentally occur when you've stopped your running to look back and ponder/taunt your rivals and would be putting yourself in imminent danger had the evil Mayans not decided that it would be a good moment to cease fire and just look at you. And, by the way, they all run at the same pace as you, which happens to be the exact pace at which a jaguar runs. And during a downpour so bad that it fills a good-sized pit faster than a swimming pool, European dingies remain fully afloat.… Expand

The things you see in this movie are heavy, highly detailed, intense, and exist in a realm that most filmmakers can't go-such as using genocide as a plot device in a non-documentary piece. Very real feelings electrify this movie.

The movie was superbly created. With tons of metaphors and thoughts about courage, I, as an avid movie buff will certainly crave for this movie every once in a while...way to go!

Awesome piece of work. Truly shows how brutal man can get. There's one thing I need to say before I leave for those who are complaining about this movie being excessively violent. They should either try to understand the meaning of 'Rated - R' before buying a ticket in the theatres or buy a lolly pop and hold mommy's little finger before entering the theatre to watch Pingu.

the most intense, nail-biting, seat grabbing flick i have seen all year. i have not left a cinema felling so tense since i saw tarintinos hostel, which by no means was a great film, but very gruesome. the movie has you has you captivated from start to finish. the setting is perfect, its great to see an all hispanic cast of virtual nobodies - who can act, and the ancient mayan language caps it off and adds to the overall sinister tone of the film. not for the light hearted but a must see in my opinion.… Expand

Yeah it's violent. Yeah it's not factually 100% correct. Yeah Mel Gibson has lost the plot. But none of those facts make this movie bad. Who cares about the politics of it all when you have the chance to see something like this. It is stunning and really quite fresh. I hope he makes more just like it.

Undountedly, the people who no nothing of America's Indians can't help but rate this movie low, for the mind too small to comprehend anything past the violence, I say this movie isn't for you! Go watch an Arnold flick! It wasn't meant to brilliantly potray the mayan's culture. It also wasn't meant to give you a history lesson either. It was meant for you to understand the nature of a people. The Mayans had spiritual beliefs, they had societies built by slaves. Yes, this slaves were their own people, stop bashing mel gibson just because this movie isn't for the simple minded. Sure, Mel isn't perfect, and sure he's a bit crazy. Alot of brilliant people have been on the brink of insanity. Stop taking away from a brilliant movie. Brilliant because it still captivates somewhat of a meaningful end. This isn't for you Jackass 2 movie lovers, so go back to your MTV rubbish and save the space for meaningful comment!… Expand

This movie was awful. Although the early parts of the film created an excellently crafted vision of a lost world, the film quickly degenerated into pointless torture-porn. The film sacrificed continuity, drama, and plot in the interest of pressing a polished vision of misery that was neither entertaining or educational, and seemed to have less purpose than what you see in a horror movie gore-fest. I have no problem with violence in films, and in fact the most distasteful scenes weren't intrinsicly violent, but I couldn't get the image of Mel Gibson masturbating in the back of the theater (I saw an early screening that he personally introduced) to the relentless misery of both the characters on screen and the people in the theater.… Expand

Undoubtedly the best action film ever shot.100% pure adrenaline.Blood and gore match the Mayan civilization of yore and criticizing Mel Gibson's realistic viewpoint is actually quite laughable.

I expected something more historical, regarding the fall of the great Mayan civilization. Instead I got this Hollywood bloody movie, filled with blood, organs and lots of dead. Yes the cinematography is good, but the plot is just terrible (maybe ok argument for violent 13 year olds, but not a deep movie at all).

I just came from the movie theater and searched the internet to rate this film. One word, Brilliant!

The film may be subject to negative comments for historical inaccuracies and brutal violences, but as a fiction, without a doubt, it is a masterpiece especially the performances of actors-- collectively, they performed with tribal perfection!

I think it is really really important to note that, while Mr. Gibson might have set out to portray the Mayans, he actually portrayed the Aztecs. It frightens me that no one has picked up on this yet. The Mayans fell 500 years before the Spanish came to Mexico. The Mayans did not cut open people's hearts, the Aztecs did. The Mayans did not have a big city. The Aztecs did. The Mayans did not participate in the Flower Wars (taking prisoners for the purpose of sacrificing them, as depicted in the movie) the Aztecs did. I could go on.… Expand

The film shows time and time again that while the main character was intuitive, even lucky, his struggle against merely coping with the superstitious tendencies of his people was more than enough to drive him to save his two children and wife from a pit, slightly inaccurate but all around depicts what life would have been like, great jib Mel, keep em coming

I like the guy who said "I can't see how anyone could find fault with it." Maybe you should take some time to read the myriad bad reviews it got, since they all are spot on. This movie is a travesty. I thought I'd learn something about Mayans. Instead, it's like some primitive version of Hostel. Not to mention this film is grounded in as much fact as the Star Wars movies are. (Anyone saying this movie is historically accurate probably hasn't touched a history book since high school.) If you're naive and enjoy violence and gore, by all means, take in the craptacular train wreck that is Apocalypto.… Expand

First I want to say that I really enjoyed this movie. It is exciting, epic, dramatic and even thought provoking. I can't rate this movie much higher however because at times I felt it was clunky and slow moving. Another thing that I have to point out is that this movie is very limited by the fact that it is done in a not so common language. I think the translations were poorly done as if we are to believe the Mayans spoke in a manner like we do today. I could easily see how a completely different meaning could be obtained if it were translated differently. Other than that though, other criticism includes the lack of real cultural substance which would have made this movie more powerful and unique.… Expand

Good Movie.. Mel presented Westerners as the Saviours at the end of the Movie but in fact they were they real invaders and conquerers.. And he also presented the Mayans as Savages when these people respected each other and also respected nature.. Really disappointed at Mel..

A fantastic work of cinema. It left me wanting more, which is a test of any great film. It seems most are missing the main reason for making the movie

I loved the movie. I think it was exciting and there was never a dull moment. I think that they should have more movies about this.

I watched this last night on a friends recommendation (I didn't really fancy watching it otherwise) and despite a promising first 5 minutes of the Tapir hunt and the meeting with the refugee tribe, it suddenly went into comedy mode when the hunters went back to the village with the sex-obsessed mother-in-law and the prank played on her daughter and son. From then on it was just downhill. The violence in the film didn't really bother me, I didn't find it gratuitous (like in Passion of the Christ) there was a lot of blood and the sacrificial scenes were a bit too long … Expand

My opinion is that this was a Great movie!! The scenery the actors, and the story line exceeded my expectations! I haven't bought a DVD for some time but I will definitely buy this one. Action packed and very dramatic. I could visualize myself being there in this time of change for the Mexica Indians.

Wow...this movie begins with dialogue and situations that seem more appropriate for an "American Pie" film and believe me, it's all downhill from there. The film tells you NOTHING about the Mayan culture and has zero plot. The last hour is an extended chase scene and anyone who has seen an action film will be able to predict the outcome. If I can prevent just one person from seeing this film, I will have done my job.… Expand

More violence and less story than "Texas Chainsaw Massacre". A complete waste of your time and very disturbing for the faint of heart. This is not a date movie of any kind.

Great movie. We care for the characters, there is plenty of breathtaking action, it's moving, the acting is excellent, photo and direction almost perfect. It would have been a perfect movie without the 3 or 4 really gory, over the top scenes. Mel, we didn't need it. We get the point.

For real? A freaking full moon appears on the same night following a total solar eclipse. If you knew anything about astronomy, you would immediately be able to discern that this is impossible. Then, add some more cheesy special effects, no substantial plot, and then to top it off, time traveling Spaniards. Stay away! If you already bought the tickets, don't go chasing bad money with good money by wasting your gas and overpaying for snacks to see this movie. Give those tickets to the shredder.… Expand

Mayan world is reduced as a kind of S/M, gory Jurassic Park. Silly, bombastic fiasco. Good cinematography and interesting cast though. Gibson, like Tom Cruise, is clever enough to get sorrounded by talentous people to boost his projects, but is too heavy handed, shallow minded and basically dishonest.

Read Scott Foundas and Todd McCarthy and ignore the looney preachings of dinosaurs like Turan. This is a humanistic masterpiece, but sadly, telling the truth about humanity is, in Turan's weird book of Solemn Movie Rules, verboten.

A new low in films. It's "Braveheart" without historical significance and "Passion" without spirituality, though it dabbles in both, and it represents as brazen an act of career suicide as I can recall from a star director. If he were a first-timer, he'd never work again. It is a terrible movie.