Apocalypto

Apocalypto is a very good movie. When you seat down to watch it you’re in for a wild ride. Gibson does an incredible job at sending us back in time, in a merciless jungle filled with reeeeeally scary locals. And for me that’s what cinema is all about. Seat back, relax, forget about reality and enjoy. It is a moving story, the action is breathtaking, you really feel for the hero, the actors are great, the score perfect and the images mesmerizing. The vision of the Maya city is just haunting. Finally it raises some very interesting questions about the rise and fall of civilizations, what makes them great or evil. For all that I gave a thumb up and I’ll probably go see it twice. BUT, the movie is not perfect, it could have been but it is not. I’m talking about two gore, over the top images (not even scenes) that pull you back into reality. When you’re about to bite your nails to bleeding from anxiety and tension then, you’re suddenly thinking special effects and stunt puppets: there is a jaguar literally tearing off the skull of a guy, and another guy whose head gets slashed and starts spewing blood like a geyser. At that moment, the audience goes beurkkk, ah ah ah. … this is too much, we don’t believe you, you’ve lost us, we didn’t need it. There are more ultra violent moments in the movie but there are “ok”, credible. Those two are not. I recommend this movie, but not for everybody.