Great movie. Original, fast-paced and fiercely violent. When I first saw it at the cinema, it was a random choice as everything else looked toss. I left the cinema drained (in a good way) and I couldn't stop thinking about it for days afterwards. I now lend my dvd copy to everyone I can, and almost all agree.

Watching it with my family when it first came out and we all really enjoyed it. What I really liked about it was that it managed to keep you interested from start to finish. Just a solid movie overall imo.

This movie is probably one of the best movies in the decade, and probably the one of the most underrated ones. Surely deserved an Oscar for Direction. Mel Gibson should be looking forward to direct more movies with some good scripts. As far as this movie is concerned, you don't see a single moment which bores you as it is intense, deep and thoughtful. Language is no barrier and acting is superb considering relatively unknown cast. For me, this movie is always going to remain on top 10 all time favourite list.… Expand

The film builds it's characters themes and setting until it finally breaks out into a gut wrenching thrill ride. Although many are saying this is just an action film and has nothing to say there is a surprising amount of depth in the themes.

First things first, the movie is a chase movie without any cheesy special effects, CGI, or flashy cars. It is the bare bones of survival, a man running for his life. The movie tackles messages about the price for being free and how much we cherish our lives and the lives of the ones we love. It also tells of how a great civilization, that is very smart and advanced can turn to such inhumane and animal like practices in times of great depression.

The first thing I noticed while watching the movie is the cinematography, which is so beautiful. Giving us great shots of the forest and ancient cities. It is especially good in the chase sequences where I felt like I was the character and running for my life. Mel Gibson, one of my favorite directors, directs this movie so well. He has a knack for creating drama and very brutal scenes. My heart was constantly pounding even in slow scenes where nothing was happening. Iâ… Expand

I thought that this movie, while not comparable to Braveheart, or the Passion, was good in its own way. Though bloody and violent, the plot line was a classic Mel Gibson. I watched an oppressed person rise above insane odds (much like in The Passion, and Braveheart). I loved the movie and thought that the native language used throughout only helped create a more realistic movie. This is another great win for Mel Gibson.… Expand

I enjoyed it. Thought it was a decent film but it felt a little too dragged on and it made me lose interest in the film. While it was solid through out, It just wasnt great.

Actually pretty good for the most part. The one flaw of the movie is that its far too long and really could have been shortend quite a bit and imo it could have gotten the film a lot better reviews as well. It does get a little dull at times and doesnt really have much suspense either but still a solid film.

Netflix gave this a recommended 4 stars out of 5 so I thought I would watch it. This is one of the worst movies I've ever seen. I have no idea how movie critics gave this pretty good reviews, while other great movies get **** ones. In case it didn't show up already, I've got some mild spoilers here. I've got two huge beefs with this movie, aside from everything else that is wrong with it. Firstly, half of the movie revolves around the main characters being shackled up and just walking around. About as exciting as it sounds. Secondly, the main theme behind the movie is to be unafraid in the face of danger and be courageous. This is all well and good, and the main character realizes this towards the end of the movie and is capable of doing some incredible things. That's great, and would work really well in most movies, but with the situations that the main character was already in, HE WOULD HAVE DIED ABOUT 100 times over earlier in the movie if he didn't have fear as a motivator. If he would've been courageous and stood his ground and fought, like the central theme implied, the movie would end 15 minutes in, 20 minutes in, take your pick. This really destroyed any point of the main theme coming together at the end for me. Aside from this, I was facepalming about once a minute during the last 30 minutes of the movie. Not to say that some of the stuff at that juncture of the movie wasn't well done, but there was so much wrong with it that I only kept watching to see how much more this movie would f*** up. I would not recommend this movie to anyone and have no idea how the hell it was ever justified to be made… Expand

I know now why the Mayans went extinct. They were nothing but a bunch of wild, bloodthirsty animals. Praise the Lord, or the Spanish, for bringing some civilization to that part of the world. The Arab world with their death cult and suicide bombings and their medieval superstitions is next, the last realm of barbarism.

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.

A real spectacle! Drawing inspiration from Mayan culture, Gibson creates his own vision of Mesoamerica, aesthetically coherent yet overwhelming to the senses. In it, urban mercenaries attack isolated villages, hoping to reverse their city's decline by sacrificing captives to an insatiable sun-god. The sacrifice and the frenzy around it are dazzling; everything looks reminiscent of Mayan art yet, at the same, time, marvelously new. Beneath the exotic surface, however, run familiar emotional currents, and the charismatic young actors have no difficulty inspiring sympathy despite speaking entirely in a language most of us have never heard. But, alas, Gibson brought his ideological sledgehammer to the set. As the film opens, we read, in the immortal words of Will Durant, "A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within." In other words, what could have been a tale of a village besieged or the birth of a hero or the power of love is also an apology for imperialism. Look here, says Gibson, let me show you why Native Mesoamerica DESERVED Cortes. Those heathens piled up dead bodies like so much firewood, making the theft, betrayal, slaughter, and germ warfare that Europeans practiced a form of justice--pretty much what the conquistadors said at the time, if memory serves. As for the argument that the film is meant as a mirror of contemporary western culture, that does not shut down other lines of interpretation. If there's one thing everyone knows about Gibson, it's that he's a pre-Vatican II Catholic, meaning he was raised with the idea that every story has four levels: the distant past, the recent past, the end of time, and the individual soul. From the title onward, "Apocalypto" announces that it's about Mesoamerica AND the modern west AND the Apocalypse AND a person's family bonds, no one of which cancels out another. Objections aside, I recommend the film but suggest following it with "The Mission."… Expand

If one can get past the fact that this movie was meant to entertain and not educate, I think they would enjoy this film. The movie is a bit violent and not recommended for younger viewers. I think that the film does show how violent the Mayans probably lived.

Fantastic film. I can't really say it was an "accurate portrayal" of the Mayan culture but it sure felt like it. It was intense and visually outstanding, when you see the sacrifice scene and the crowd of people is shown it is amazing how many there are, and if you see pictures of the actors after watching the movie it's incredible how they transformed them completely with the piercings that looked so real and clothing that seemed so authentic. I liked how the movie wasn't in English because it would have ruined the movie like other times I've seen things like world war II movies where the Germans all have American accents. Overall this film just feels like what i would have imagined Mayan culture to be like and the one small complaint that i had was in character development. Besides the main character you didn't really learn much about anyone. Still this movie is not to be missed, unless you have a weak stomach because there is some pretty visual stuff, but again that really just helps capture the feel of the setting.… Expand

Sure, Gibson ain't my favorite person, but let's be fair to this movie. It's great. Brutal and violent, but I was engrossed in the story from the beginning. Visually stunning. Twists and turns. Probably would have been an Oscar contender had Gibson not been so disliked. If you can get past the director and like action/adventure, you're likely to love it.

This is a very good movie. The costumes, the jungle depiction of the natural world. It presents a non-European world view. The action is fantastic. It is brutal, but not gratuitous. It works on many levels. Pre-European native american worldviews are sorely needed in the film world. The actors all play great roles. It may not be historically perfect, but really enjoyable. The prophecies are pertinent to our modern world.… Expand

This movie is about the fall of the aztec empire and Gibson has done an excellent job portraying the horrifying brutality of this race. Watched again in HD after reading the book Aztec by Gary Jennings and Gibson's movie brought the book to life. Previous comments were correct that the Mayans had disappeared long before the time in the movie with the arrival of Cortez the killer. He does use the mayan god Kukulcan instead of aztec Huitzilopochtli - not sure why he didn't get his facts right but still great historical fiction.… Expand

Ignore the rants at both extremes of the scale; most of them says more about the reviewer than the film. For once, the professional reviewers are more perceptive than the amateurs: APOCALYPTO offers magnificent spectacle but so little complexity of plot , characterization, or theme that it eventually grows boring. Gibson and his artistic staff deserve loud accolades for the astonishing scenes of late Maya civilization, particularly once the film reaches the depraved city at its center. These scenes are consistent with the Maya aesthetic we know from sculpture and artifacts and, at the same time, completely, overwhelmingly alienating. The effect is dazzling, dizzying, and profound; I felt I could watch the middle section of the film ten times more without beginning to exhaust its riches. The last third of the film, however, is an interminable chase scene, relieved only by quick cuts to two people in a hole. Snooze. After 15 minutes or so, I fast-forwarded through the pursuit, and my only regret is that I hadn't started earlier. As for the infamous violence, I had no problem with it, given what the film was about. I simply felt that it occasionally served as a substitute for real plot development (Story starting to drag? Let's chuck some more spears!). On the whole, I would heartily recommend the film to anyone interested in cultural anthropology, anyone who likes big spectacles with lots of extras in costume, and, of course, anyone who likes spear-chucking. Just don't expect ideas more profound than "dominance fosters cruelty." And it's ok to go out for a beer during the last 40 minutes or so.… Expand

I loved this movie!!! Very graphic in certain areas, but one of the few films I could watch over and over.

Really a great movie. If you haven't seen it check it out. in my top 10 movies all time.

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.

Excellent movie!! was able to watch the movie on tv n i was really moved by the movie... loved the emotions through the movie and a gr8 job by mel gibson!

A movie about pre colonial Mexico with a message for today? Exciting and with a message that takes a little thought to see clearly. Excellent.

Really drawn into it the whole time. Loved it. A+

You can always tell if a movie's going to be good or bad by reading the user comments in metacritic. After reading apocalypto's comments I knew I had to watch it. All the people who gave it bad ratings were obviously either complete idiots, or the sort of feeble, weak people who scream at the sight of mice. Why would you watch a movie rated R for violence and disturbing images if you don't like the sight of blood!? The main reason you can tell that the people who thought badly of 'apocalypto' are idiots is by the fact that the same people who say that they went into the movie expecting it to be about the downfall of the mayans and were surprised that it was not, go on to state that the plot is predictable... Hmm... let's think... How can the storyline be surprising and unexpected, and yet the plot is predictable??? Aren't the storyline and the plot pretty much the same thing!? And I don't get how 'Andrew' can say that the movie was historically inaccurate, even after 'Richard. T' wrote what looked like a novel about the many aspects of the film that related to history and were plausible. Also, I don't think many of us would have left the theatre with a mortal fear of mayans, scared that at any second they're going to come and destroy our houses, tie us up and take us away... In case everyone who said that the mayans were portrayed incorrectly as a violent people don't realise, not only were the people who wrecked the village and stole all the adults (the 'bad guys') mayan, but the good guys were mayans as well. You all choose to look at it from the point of view that everyone will have the wrong idea about the mayans now, even though 'jaguar paw' (who was mayan as well, duh!) was shown as such a kind and loving man who did so much for his wife, son, and unborn child, and only killed or harmed his enemies in self defence... As I mentioned before, immediately after reading the comments on metacritic, and seeing how stupid the people who were cynical of this movie were, I went and watched the movie, for which I am very grateful. It was actually one of the best movies I've ever seen, even though I haven't really liked Mel Gibson in the past. This was one of those movies that I just had to have on DVD. It was a great movie, and I don't even need to criticize the people who didn't like it any more, because their dim-wittedness speaks for itself. Awesome acting. Awesome storyline. Awesome movie!!!… Expand

Great mel you are the best i like all of your movies but this one you out did your self i will watch it again also reading up on the mayan tribe now very interesting love it.

I don't know--should have given this a 10, because I thought it was absolutely hilarious. I watched the whole movie and then watched it AGAIN, with the commentary on. It was that entertaining. I mean--a lot of people I respect really liked this movie. But I mean, first, there were historical inaccuracies you could drive a semi-truck through. In fact, I'm kind of surprised that wasn't included in the film! Gibson apparently had a hard time separating Maya from Aztec culture, not to mention one century from another. It's interesting that Mr. Cultural Understanding Gibson considered placing the movie's settings among the Aztecs, but dismissed it because of their brutality. (I think we of the 21st century have got to move past our gawking at Aztec brutality to really try and understand their historical cultures. I'm not sure, with our history of crusades and genocides and atomic weaponry and wars carried out based on lies--not sure we are equipped to dismiss any culture based on their "brutality") But, it's interesting that Gibson rejected the Aztecs, but then transferred all the most gory and brutal aspects of the Aztecs to the Mayans! I mean, Mayas did not carry out the mass sacrifices the Aztecs did. What's more, in terms of historical accuracy, urban civilization was hardly in full, or even half, swing when the Spanish arrived. But what's so hilarious about the movie is just how incredibly over the top it is. The ending! (Spoiler alert, I guess--but each time I watch it, it just gets funnier!) I mean, this dazzling foot race is going on while the guy's wife has fallen in a hole that's filling up with water, and then, in a birth sequence that is even more absurd than the sequence in Cronenberg's The Fly, where Gina Davis gives birth to a baby-sized maggot, she pops out a baby standing on tip-toes with the water having risen to her head, with her stretching her nose up for air! And, when I say that baby pops out, I mean, it pops out! Certainly one of the funniest moments of the film! And THEN, to top it all off, Jaguar Paws or whatever his name is, is being pursued by two Urban Maya intent on doing him harm only to suddenly run up on a Spanish ship coming into shore! Hoo boy, what a hoot! Definitely an entertaining film, but not in the way it was meant to be! What I can't believe is that folks like Robert Duvall, Edward James Olmos, and Roger Ebert all were enthusiastic to the point of hyperbole about this film. I mean--I respect all those guys...but maybe a little less than I had before! Maybe I'm just an idiot or something, but this film had me rolling in the floor with laughter!… Expand

A racist piece of Catholic propaganda about how the "barbaric" Maya needed to be saved by the Spanish priests bearing crosses that you see at the end. Also utterly predicable from start to finish. One of the very worst films I have ever seen.

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

Oh gosh......how did so many people like this!?!? This movie was just sick! People are talking about how well it was done, and how powerful it was, yet....I seriously can't see any of that! It wasn't powerful, it was gross! Power and oppression is shown through scenes with characters and their losses, but this movie just replaced good acting with 10 minutes of head chopping! Seriously, I cannot repeat enough: This movie is not powerful, it's just an over dramatic gorefest.… Expand

JUST BRILLIANT!!!! Can't get enough of it... Mel Gibson is a genius and for those of you who didn't enjoy it, you should get educated on Mayan culture which was so well pictured. There is brutal violence and it is a hard to watch movie but it IS The HISTORY, this is real, just thank God you didn't live those days. And if you find Jurassic Park, Spiderman, Star Wars, Matrix or Transformers better done, they you need to grow up! This movie is EXCEPTIONALLY inspiring. It blew my mind for daaays now. Just got back from Mayan Riviera and been studying mayan civilization for awhile. It was great to get an ide of what happened their at the ruin sites. Great job on costumes and make-up, they were almost described to a tee. Thank you for making such a GREAT movie. Would love to see the Incas next.… Expand

Alex S. got it ALL correct..Mel's a great movie maker. I'm sick to death of smarmy so called movie critics who by and large, are self appointed seeing themselves as omnipotent arbiters of our entertainment..I would like to drop them back at the temple altar and see how they'd rate his accuracy. Mel .. love ya work!

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.

This is an extremely effective and engrossing piece of story telling. Mel Gibson has a real talent for putting action on the screen within a larger and more meaningful context. The design and visuals are stunning, the action is extremely well done, and the acting is quite good as well. The squeamish critics are a mystery to me - the blood here serves a purpose, tells a compelling story, and is realistic, not gratuitous. All in all, a very good movie experience. Very much worth seeing.… Expand

Brilliant, inspiring, and very bloody. But I couldn't take my eyes of the screen. Gibson is brilliant story teller. The point is that while they are killing each other, bigger beast is coming to wipe them out. It's to remind us to live today for the moment, because there may not be another chance to do or say what we always wanted to.

The overwhelming majority of people critiquing the movie have two arguments: excessive gore and lack of insight on the Mayan empire. Guess what, the movie was not about that in the first place. You loath blood, open your eyes, see the R rating and than buzz off. You want documentary on Mayan empire

This is the GREATEST movie I have ever seen! Mel Gibson is the BESTt actor and director! Much RESPECT!

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

The lead actor is great. The film is a piece of junk, depicting the Maya as absurd frat boys, is wildly inacurrate, and predictable.

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).

in general the movie is good, and it's the typical movie, with violence and gore, etc...but if you are looking for historical events or you want to know more about mesoamericans civilizations , better get a book, because this movie is completely wrong. "you like gore and violence, go ahead,,,,,, this is the movie."""

I really don't understand why people have such a huge issue with this movie. Yes it is violent, but I have seen people stabbed and if it is anything like being hit with an arrow, then I would say the amount of gore was absolutely accurate! If you get clubbed in the head or shot or stabbed, you're going to effing bleed...profusely. It is actually historically accurate that the Mayans practiced sacrifice and anyone who tries to deny this is the one being ignorant. Yes, the Mayans were also highly advanced in many ways and the movie did not really address this but was there really time to delve into the various achievements of the Mayans? People already complained it was too long! Couldn't we see by their architecture and complex city system in the movie that they weren't just a barbaric people?? The story line had nothing to do with it, so get over it. Also, I would like to point out that everyone commented on the ridiculousness of the eclipse. The high priests could actually predict before hand (using their advanced Mayan knowledge everyone claimed the movie was devoid of...) the exact time of an eclipse and therefore could use these sacrifices more as a way to retain the people's support because they would then think the prest was behind the eclipse. He knew it was coming!! Did everyone miss the subtle nod between the priest and the "king" right when the eclipse occurred??? It was not so ridiculous after all. Also, giving birth in water is one of the easiest ways to give birth. Seriously people, get over it. Just be positive. I mean, it takes a good movie to be sad and disturbing the whole way through and then leave you feeling a sense of some hope in the end. And the ambiguity of the ending leaves so much room for after thought. ps. If you don't like blood and that makes you sick then a)don't see a Mel Gibson movie and b)don't see a rated R movie for gore and violence!! Those warnings are there for a reason!You, not Mel and his movie, are the idiots in this situation.… Expand

Apocalypto clearly refers to the practice of human sacrifices in Mesoamerican societies, mainly the Aztec people. I would refer to Michel Graulich work:

What can I say but that Apocalypto felt as near perfect as it could be. Sure it was not the most feel good movie of the year seeing as there is so much violence with its war and sacrificial plot lines. But at times I'm sure this was exactly how it was for the Mayan and surrounding peoples. They did have at one point in their history a belief that human sacrifice in reflection of one of their God… Expand

It's in my top 5 favorite movies of all-time. I usually don't like movies with subtitles in them but this one is different; it doesn't seem like a chore to be reading because it is such a good story.

This is one of those movie that shows how little some people know about making a fantastic movie, including critics especially. People 'getting sick' from watching Apocalypto is pathetic, because it is also one of those films that isn't nearly as violent as it seemed it would be. Makes me wonder if some of these critics and fans voting on here even watched the movie. The voter here named 'A Movie Critic' says it right: it literally feels like you're being transported to another world." And that is Great-with -a-capital-G filmaking. I don't give it a 10 only because that is reserved for films like The Empire Strikes Back, The Wizard of Oz, and Ben Hur.… Expand

One of the best films I have ever seen. What I don't understand is all the critics saying that it was too violent and bloody, especially in the temple scene. Well guess what? This is how it was. Hahaha oh yeah, this one critic even wrote..."what kind of brutal movie is this....who would watch this....gangbangers"? Mannnnn, this isn't New Jack City or Boys in the Hood you half-wit. What, did u think that the Mayan warriors went to the villages tapping on the inhabitants shoulders telling them..."can you please come with me"? NO! And the temple scene.... actually, there were so many sacrifices that there were pools of blood and fat at the bottom of them so Mel was really giving us a break from how it really was. My god, I wonder what u people would say then. Yeah its gross, yeah its violent as hell but this is how the civilization was. Weapons, tattoos, piercings......everything was accurate except for the arrival of the Spaniards. But who cares! Instead of mentally searching for the arrival time of the Spaniards to make sure its historically correct, I thought to myself...."ha, that's cool....look at that....here they come to end it all....spread/force their language, diseases and religious beliefs on the Mayan people and totally end what I just saw through the movie....forever"! I really enjoyed the movie. Sit back and enjoy it. Let it take u on a wild ride throught the jungle and witness how the Mayans lived for thousands of years. Well not the whole culture of course but the religious aspect of it anyway. The Mayan military REALLY did go out to surrounding villages to get victims for their religious sacrifices. They even actually had wars solely for them. They REALLY did sacrifice the victims in that way up there on top of the temples. There's your "historical accuracy" right there. I mean, the whole film is accurate but those 5 seconds capturing the arrival. Never mind the bad reviews. See it. Trust me!… 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..

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..

i watched 15mins, where the mayans were sacrificing the last of the other tribe and ended when the young man was up in a tree with a cougar, i literally vomited and was physically sick. i have yet to bring myself to watch the rest.

Why is everyone whining about how historically inaccurate this movie is? "blah blah i wanted to learn something about the Mayans" well i wanted to see an awesome movie and my man Mel delivers. the ending wasn't super great, but the movie was totally awesome to look at, not to mention totally brutal.

Forget the fact that Mel Gibson made it.....this is a great movie. It literally feels like you're being transported to another world. Extremely immersing experience with music and sound effects that completely bring this world to life. Great chase scenes in the last half hour as well. As much as I hate to admit it (since this movie's directed and co-written by Mel Gibson,) I really liked this movie. It does have a tendency to linger on certain scenes a little too long (an attack on a village in the beginning seems to go on forever, as does a trek to a city,) but overall, it's a satisfying and interesting experience and a worthwhile rental, at least. Obviously it's a violent movie, but it didn't really feel excessive.… Expand

Horrific, and beautiful.

Horrible, violent, disgusting.

Not nearly as bad as I expected so it gets points for exceeding expectations. Kind of a fun , though bloody romp , with no real substance at the end but an interesting ride with great scenery and costumes along the way. Wouldn't be worth getting on for another ride , but as they say and totally appropriate here , "better than a sharp stick in the eye."

Wow, very good movie. Wasn't expecting it at all. I figured with the way the previews made it look it would just be a bunch of random, scenes of a violent history documentary. Yes it is violent but the story is great and its an incredible amount of excitement thru out. (P.S. I'm a jew that knows Mel Gibson is a grade A closet anti-semetic but that that bias I held going into the movie says just how good this movie was.)… Expand

I thought this movie was amazing! A superb story. Gripping and thought provoking from start to finish.Who cares if it might not be historically accurate. There are people who go on... Blah.Blah..Blah about it`s improper depiction of the Mayan culture and the likelihood of such circumstances arising. Where you there? I think not! So take your conceptions and get back to your TV so you can watch that "real life " drama that your so fond of. This Movie is thrilling and definitely one of the better movies to come out of Hollywood. Mel is a friggin genius!… Expand

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

Horrible, violent, disgusting.

I think this was an amazing movie and it was very suspenseful! Mel Gibson has out done himself once again!

I really loved the film regardless of some of the critics own remarks . It might seem that the problem of the films historical vision of the Mayan city at the end of the Maya civilization - seems rather pointless to identity the 'city' in the film - My friend who is a Maya-ologist says that the 'pyramid of doom' in the film where the sacrifices took place is one of the pyramids in the city of Tikal which was abandoned in 9 cen AD way after the time that the movie says that Jaguar Paw taken captive- Gibson did use some old National Geographic paintings of the city of Tikal as his Mayan city in the movie ; nevertheless it is a good film and it is close to the new conceptions of the Maya in light of modern archaeological findings. The Maya were more warlike than 'peaceful' as was once thought.… Expand

I had avoided seeing this film for a number of reasons... but I have to admit I thought it was good. It really did surprise me. Brutus O's review is right there.

This was a very good show, a real underdog kind of thing. I don't know how it got such a low rating, but I can't see how anyone could find fault with it.

The contradictions of the human condition are understood by Gibson. Unlike his critics (who, based on their ad hominum remarks, are mere children next to him), he is authentic and unapologetic and will therefore be remembered.

I found this picture hard to watch at times as the images were so upsetting but I felt it probably portrayed the actual times accurately. Not a big Mel fan, I would recommend this but not to the fainthearted!

Despite the somewhat hopeful ending, this movie belongs on the dung-heap of movieland for the shamefully unbalanced presentation of the Mayan culture. Mel Gibson's pathologic disdain for this non-Christian civilization is graphically and brutally displayed without any balancing scenes of positive societal attributes except from the "primitives". Shame on you Mel.

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

Only a deeply religious person could do violence this unrelenting, cruel, and perverse. Moving from the blood-spurting-out-of-the-head scene (with the camera right behind the blood spurts, to catch each one) to the underwater birth scene, all of this shortly after the jaguar-ate-my-face-off scene, is, to be blunt, embarrassing. I could forgive all of this if the movie had any "poetry" of violence about it, but it was all pretty standard. There were, in fact, numerous scenes that I swear were shot on video. The actors were uniformly great, the costumes and makeup exceptional as well. But after a while, such pointless and not especially well-crafted sadism wears thin. What was the point? The same story could be told with Kurt Russel escaping a post-apocalyptic New York. I loved Braveheart. What happened to Mel?… Expand

Incredible! Kept my heart pounding through out the entire movie! Extremely entertaining. I would definitely watch this movie over and over again.

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

The problem I have with this film is this: People not knowing that this movie is fictional will think this is exactly what Mayan civilization was like and conclude that Gibson's film is fact (because people are dumb). Gibson should have researched more extensively to give us more of a historical context of the Mayan world and times instead of focusing on an action-chase adventure. That being said, it was marginally entertaining but overly long.… Expand

As with Gibson's last three films, if you're looking for historical accuracy, look elsewhere. However, once again, he has made a thoroughly engrossing, beautifully mounted epic. The controversial treatment of Mayan people as brutal savages will, no doubt, be offensive to some history buffs, but the film is remarkably entertaining and well paced, and truly soars in its second half. Gibson may have some serious character flaws, but he has filmmaking in his blood. Extraordinary!… Expand

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

hey, i hate those who gave 0 ranking for mel gibson's apocalypto, so i give it 10, it's really a good movie, if there's violence which most consider negative, why won't they open their eyes? stop pretending to be so inncocent! when i've watched this movie it's really good, you can really feel the intense.. i give it a perfect score ^^-

You know what guys? Quit ******** about how inaccurate the movie portrays the Mayans. We are no longer living in those times and they are impossible to completely re-create. Not to mention this movie was never meant to be a scientific study of Mayan life. Go watch a DIscovery special if that's what you're looking for. As it stands, Apocalyto is a great, fast paced action film. The story is interesting if not "historically accurate", and the filming is done very well. See it for what it is. Not because you want some boring British lecturer to take you through the life of the Mayan's or some crap like that.… Expand

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

A bit of a surprise, and a considerably better film than Braveheart. Above all Apocalypto is a gripping action film, admittedly violent, but well paced and brilliantly shot, with astounding costume design and casting. It is also occasionally humourous, often touching, sometimes romantic and quite a bit more thoughtful than it first appears. The film is not a documentary about Mayan history. It is a parable about the nature of apocalyptic social collapse (hence the title, guys - it isn't called Mayo) and the centrality and importance of family and primary relationships when society crumbles. So it could have been set in any country where society and the environment are in terminal decline. The lesson is that mindless violence and overpopulation and ethnic cleansing and a war economy and religious hysteria will all come to the fore when the elites within any society lose touch with their basic humanitarian and conservationist impulses. So this movie could just as easily have been set at the fall of Ancient Egypt, or Rome, or even in contemporary Iraq, Sudan or Zimbabwe. But despite being like, "a bit heavy and depressing" the film in fact has the directorial chops to be pretty damn entertaining. I suppose linking one's family values to the environment represents something of a conservative viewpoint, but after all conservation and conservative do stem from the same word. Mel's best film.… Expand

Absolutely a superb work of art. I have been working long hours that last several months, and almost every movie I have dozed off on, but not this. This movie had me from the begining to the very end. Went very fast, absoutely amazing and proving Mel is definitely a very gifted artist.

How many people are going to actually watch this movie and say: "okay, let's excuse the historic inaccuracies, since this is is just a fiction film" ? The same way people derived a strong anti-semitic message from "the Passion of the Christ", they will believe Gibson's message that this is actually what the Maya culture used to look like a thousand years ago. Sad indeed.

This was a terrible movie if you are looking for reliable information regarding the Mayan people and their advanced civilization. If you know that and are looking for a believable action film, it is an awful movie with all its implausible thrill scenes. Neither the hunters or the hunted behaved as knowledgeable forest dwellers. It made the characters look stupid at best. Those who liked this movie must be as stupid as the director (who could not create a single credible scene) as they wax excitedly over big screen stupidity. I just hope no one uses this film to try to better know our southern neighbors. This film continues in the genre of demeaning, stereotypical racist caricatures of Mexicans or their ancestors.… Expand

So much violence is just pornographic. There's nothing left after you watch it, just angst. The only positive aspect is the actor Rudy Youngblood (despite the fact he is not even Mayan) who trasmits feelings to the audience in a great way.

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!

It is about time that history be treated with respect. This film is one dimensional in its overbearing dependence on violence. It is hard to love nature if we look through Gibson's eyes. He is on a mission of conversion and uses all the tools available to him to convince all of us that his history and observations are true. He has failed to make a balanced and poetic vision of the Maya culture.… Expand

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!

Having recently been in Mexico I decided to see this film. If it did not have some pretentions to being some comment on life as we know it either now, or in the time of (as Gibson would have it) "some" of our ancestors it might just be mindlesslyand in some ways unprecendently cruel and crude however because it opens with a comment about how societies collapse it sets itself up as having meaning. It does not have any meaning beyond evoking profounding visceral responses that knock any possible thinking through out from after the first ten minutes. To call it flawed honours it , to me it is a brutal travesty that apparently enobles the hegemony that ruled thereafter.It is more disturbing to think about it because then you realise there is no comprehensible message. Only good for dieters - eating is not to be recommended either before, and out of the question afterwards.… Expand

Just a morron would think that the most intelectual and respectful of the prehispanic cultures is as savage as they were depicted... Yup... Mel Gibson is that stupid. But that's what you get when you mix a crappy director who cares nothing about historical facts, and the comercial vibe to create another worthless action unwitful spoil just to fill the producers hands with money from the usual morbid mob who love the baths of blood and gore for no special reason nor plot....
Now Mayans and spanish men... well grabing a history book won't hurt anyone, then we can all know that the periods of time don't fit actually...that, and the already mentioned farfetched scenes shown all along this suplex of a film.. But ... hey... it is another fact that Gibson's brain is sort of death... so it was something really predictable. It's not worth watching at all.… Expand

I wish I could rate it with 11/10. The film is amazing for every fan of the Mayans..and not!

I really cant understand why some ppl qualify this movie with 2's and 3's, its true the movie got gruesome scenes, but if you have a little brain you would realize that thats how reallity its really all about, ppl do loose arms and legs and during prehispanic mayan and aztec cultures human sacrifices happened, sure its not historically acurrate but thats why its a movie and not a documentary. It transport you in a trip in the anciend Mesoamerica and offers the viewer a glimpse of what life whas all about during those times. Im very pleased as a Mexican with the portrait it delivers cose it neither glorify neither condmemn the society of those days. Its simply feels real.… Expand

Action masterpiece!

Totally unrespectful of magnificent Mayan civilization. Gibson obviously has no idea about this people.

The raw energy and passion of the film is very primal, but it makes you feel alive and very human. It is not a film for audiences whom hang their lives on intellectual hooks. This said, I found the central messages strong and powerful and above all very honest. The violence and brutality served it purpose in revealing the central themes. Fear in life is the killer of all human evolution, the individual who can stare it in the face and not sucumb will be at one with nature, and the spirit of the world or the "jungle" will become there ally.… Expand

Nice scenery and some genuine fearful moments when the captives are offered for sacrifice and the scrambled to reach the corn field to freedom. Not entirely sure why some lots of people rated the film with 9 and 10s, it wasn't THAT good. [***SPOILER***]Have you not seen John Rambo in First Blood? That's essential what this movie was, a man being hunted down by the bad guys in the forest and Rambo or Jag Paw, in this case, takes them down one by one, using all his knowledge of the forest to heal his wounds and to make lethal weapons and traps. Another reason I wouldn't over rate the movie were the number of glaringly obvious " that is unlikely to happen" moments. 1) What are the chances that a solar eclipes occurs just as our hero is about to be sacrificed? Several million to one I would guess. 2) What are the chances that our fully fit hero could out run a enraged Jaquar , very slim indeed, so if our hero was injured as he was the chances fall from slim to virtually no chance. 3) For such a skilled and knowledgeable hunter in his own territory how come the location of waterfall came as such a big suprise to him? Surely it wasn't too small for him to have missed before! Even if the waterfall wasn't known to our hero previously then how come he couldn't detect it either from the sound or his previously heightened sense of detection which allows him to sence forest intruders before anyone else? 4) Having survived the waterfall our hero boasts that he is back in his forest now which he knows inside out , then proceeds to walk straight into a pit of quick sand! They must have have put that in whilst he was away! 5) Pits don't fill up THAT quickly with rain water! Even if it did fill up with rain water surely our heroes family would have developed good swimming skills (Living so close to the sea) and would have been able to hold out or even float to the top of the pit. To conclude this movie is worth a watch but has too many farfetched moments to take seriously.… Expand

I think the historical background has been modified, there is no such history like that. Mayan civilization was one of the most advanced civilizations in the history of humanity. They were really inteligent, great astronomers, great mathematicians, and very respectful in their sacrifice ceremonies, and this is not shown in this movie.

Should get best picture/director/actor, but it won't. This is an awesome movie that I saw twice last year and the images (eating testicles) stick with me still today. Gibson really knows how to ramp up the violence! This is pure adrenaline, better than any Rocky, fight movie you could consider. This movie is a Rush. Go see it. No other movie this past year gets a 4/4 except this one. Don't believe the hype about the violence. It's not THAT bad. I've seen worse. Excellent film!… Expand

Nearly three years ago, while squeamishly preparing myself to see Mel Gibson's now-legendary The Passion of the Christ, I stopped in a favorite sports bar and, learning that the bartender on duty had already seen it, asked her if I should have a courage- fortifying beer beforehand. "Yes," she replied, "and one after, too!" Gibson's followup might well demand a six-pack before viewing by the overly sensitive--any movie that opens with testicle-eating (animal, not human) is one that isn't shy about letting the audience know early on what it's in for--but if you're prepared for where Mel takes you, Apacalypto is one of the purest, most viscerally exciting and visually stunning action movies of the last several years. It helps enormously that the likable hero, Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood) is motivated not by revenge (justifiable though this might be) but by self-defense and preservation of his family...especially when his wife and little boy represent the zenith of noncloying adorableness. Gibson's much-publicized use of the Mayan language throughout turns out to be something of a moot point: after the establishing sequences (which feature lots of tribal male bonding and practical joking, just what you'd expect from the director of Braveheart and a rabid Three Stooges fan), the action becomes so clearly set that Apocalypto would've worked beautifully as a silent film. And while you don't normally expect to use (or read) words like "subtlety", "thoughtfulness" and "nuance" when referring to the cinema of Mel Gibson, Apocalypto's left-field final twist brings the movie's breathless pacing and vivid violence to a surprisingly somber, reflective close. It also forces viewers to redefine again the controversial filmmaker who rather puzzlingly became the darling of the right-wing media with Passion (as though identifying and supporting intensely with Jesus' suffering in his last hours on earth and supporting troop buildups in Iraq and turning a deaf ear to restrictions on torturing prisoners were somehow synonymous) but recently made some anti-Bush statements that confounded the right-wing press while delighting those moviegoers who, like me, found absolutely nothing wrong with loving both Passion AND Fahrenheit 9/11. Being a big fan of Apocalypto as well doesn't prevent me from expressing a few reservations and misgivings, though: as far as certain other, far more heavily-publicized, tequila-fueled utterances made by Mel are concerned, it's hard to completely put them out of one's mind during a sequence in which Jaguar Paw, fleeing from Mayans attempting to sacrifice him to their gods, comes across some examples of their brutal handiwork that unavoidably brought to mind certain Holocaust photos and films I've seen. Equally disturbing is that, as hugely effective and even enjoyable as Apocalypto is during most of its running time, its maker (who reportedly encouraged director Ron Howard to use a lot more ketchup during the shootout scenes in Ransom) seems to be having just a little bit too much Herschell Gordon Lewis-style fun filming the tribal atrocities he's putting up on screen. Remember the junior high school boys' room admonition "Shake it more than twice and you're playing with it"? Put it this way: depicting one human sacrifice qualifies as legitimate plot revelation...but going back and lovingly doing it all over again is masturbation.… Expand

Great film, excellent!!! Well worth a watch; had my girlfriend in tears. One of the best films I have seen in a long time.

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.

This film was astounding. Lucky I wasn't deterred by the shallow reviews I encountered. I left the movie overwhelmed by thoughts of things like the value of family, simplicity, leadership, community, fear, wealth and our 'civilization' . The violence is intense but I don't agree with those who think it was indulgent (I should admit to watching a few scenes through my fingers though). Mel Gibson continues to amaze me with he manages to bring to a screen.… Expand