College Guy on Apocalypto

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There's this very bright older guy who teaches a film course at a major university, and a somewhat younger man who works with him -- call him College Guy -- saw Mel Gibson's Apocaylpto recently, and he shared his views a couple of days ago. College Guy is bright and knowledgable so I figured it couldn't hurt to add his view to the mix. The pic opens in three weeks. Gibson and his homies will have to show it to guys like me sooner or later.

"In many technical ways, Apocalypto is as ambitious as The Passion of the Christ. But in the gut-level storytelling ways that really matter, it comes up short all over the place. It's a by-the-numbers chase film with minimal characterization and just enough Mayan flavoring to justify the film's impressive atmosphere. The main problem with Apocalypto, I think, is that it doesn't quite know what it's about.

"The themes of apocalypse and social disintegration that one might expect from this film after seeing the trailers, for example, are little more than a footnote in the film's overall structure. Yes, there's a solar eclipse. Yes, there's a little girl who, at the film's one-hour mark, makes cryptic prognostications about the fate of the hero. Or humanity. Or something.

"95% of this film is about a man named Jaguar Paw running and fighting. But Apocalypto is an action film without a truly active hero. In fact, it isn't until about 20 minutes into the film that you begin to realize Jaguar Paw is the hero of the film -- a signal that these characters are more or less interchangable. One thing for sure: Jaguar Paw is a very good runner.

"From what I understand from his interviews and website for the film, Gibson has attempted to draw parallels between the brutality of the Mayans and the senseless violence surrounding the Iraq war. Mel's discussions of
this film, however, are far more interesting, and far more nuanced than the film itself. I suspect that during the writing and production of Apocalypto, no one dared to challenge Mel's belief that his film is indeed about more than a violent foot chase through the jungle.

"To be fair, the version of Apocalypto that I saw had a bare-bones temp musical score and unfinished visual effects (although I barely noticed deficiencies in the latter). But neither of these factors had any bearing on the narrative itself, which is fairly flat throughout, and will likely remain that way when the film opens in a few weeks.

"I find Edward James Olmos's observations confusing -- there's not much to grab on here that would generally make a film memorable: no larger message with which to pepper a press kit without straining, no hero that fuels the story in an active or truly defiant way, no antagonist that operates above and beyond the expected physical violence that Gibson injects into all of his films.

"I suspect this film will open as a curiosity and register as a big disappointment. Framing an action chase film in Mayan civilization is a compelling idea, but there's not enough of an attempt to take advantage of the environment in which the film is set. Gibson and his team seem to want to frame this film as some kind of immersive, historical thinkpiece, but unfortunately there's barely a whiff of that in the finished product.

"Plus there's the expected fissure between action-movie buffs and, you know, people who actually read subtitles. This film will likely leave both camps more than a little blue-balled."

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on November 17, 2006 at 4:57 PM

comment #1

actionman says ...

while I agree with some of the picks on this list, most of it is BEYOND STUPID.

Posted by actionman at November 17, 2006 5:36 PM

comment #2

Hopscotch says ...

I can't wait to see it. Just on a curiousity of how Mel deals with "The" civilization collapsing on its own.

Posted by Hopscotch at November 17, 2006 5:47 PM

comment #3

Dr. Smith says ...

this movie was utterly dead in the water even before Mel had his meltdown.

Posted by Dr. Smith at November 17, 2006 8:29 PM

comment #4

Jennifer says ...

Smith, I seem to remember a little film called "The Passion" that critics were saying the same thing about. And it did over 600 million dollars world wide.
But of course Smith, you make your statement with so much certainity, it has to be correct.

Posted by Jennifer at November 17, 2006 8:34 PM

comment #5

Adonis says ...

Seriously, you have to at least admire the balls/gumption to make film like this.

It's an ambitious enterprise not been attempted before. Correct?

I think the film offers some excitement. Will I like it/love it/respect it? Not sure yet. But it certainly has my attention.

Jennifer's got a point here. Granted, Mayan history isn't quite as popular here as Christianity...

But still, she's got a point.

Posted by Adonis at November 17, 2006 8:46 PM

comment #6

tholl-yung says ...

Jennifer makes her point with such certainty that it must be true. Obscene box office on POTC and yet still many passes on the screenplay and distribution terms for APOC, written by the "experienced" writers, Mel and his assitant, doing the research, writing the script. So, Dr. Smith does have a point. But don't worry, no believers will burn in hell this time if they don't go see the movie.

Posted by tholl-yung at November 17, 2006 10:39 PM

comment #7

D.Z. says ...

The Passion's success wasn't just because of a market demand for the film, but because of Christians trying to make a statement against
the "immorality" of gay marriage and nipples on television by supporting some wholesome Christ-killing. (Conveniently, that also ties in with their ideology of killing the innocent in Iraq.) There's no political motivation for those same people to see Apocalypto.

Posted by D.Z. at November 17, 2006 11:39 PM

comment #8

Reedyb says ...

Is it just me, or does this all seem very similar to Rapa Nui?

Posted by Reedyb at November 18, 2006 8:37 AM

comment #9

tholl-yung says ...

http://www.melsmegafans.com/sheet43.htm

Maybe. This site is amazing (the music is wretched) because it has a Latin perspective and is so comprehensive, covering the adoration, the plot, the objections, the production and ultimately the sham (my words). It is reporting Mel will apear on Primetime with Barbara Walters Thanksgiving night.

Posted by tholl-yung at November 18, 2006 9:08 AM

comment #10

tholl-yung says ...

more specifically: "in the middle of a Barbara Walters special." I'm trying to confirm on a home computer (not easy), I've pulled up refernces to "a very special primetime" and a bloopers primetime. Who knows?

Posted by tholl-yung at November 18, 2006 9:14 AM

comment #11

Jennifer says ...

T.H. it seems you want to do nothing except to slam Gibson, however you also admitted in an earlier thread that you were "fascinated" by him. I think you might need a "twelve step program" of your own. Addiction to Mel. Love/Hate him. Maybe you can meet next to where Mel is meeting for his AA meetings.

Posted by Jennifer at November 18, 2006 9:33 AM

comment #12

L.B. says ...

Honestly, Jennifer, it seems all you want to do is heedlessly support him. Looks like two sides of the same coin from this neutral vantage point.

Posted by L.B. at November 18, 2006 9:51 AM

comment #13

tholl-yung says ...

Except I do the research. I chose a word like fascinate to throw the Jennifers off.

Posted by tholl-yung at November 18, 2006 10:24 AM

comment #14

Jennifer says ...

Oh yes T.H. Ung, that is what you have done, thrown me off!! Face it Ung, you are fascinated by him!

Posted by Jennifer at November 18, 2006 10:34 AM

comment #15

tholl-yung says ...

I forgive you Jennifer, not even I would attempt to attach meaning to the word fascinate, glad you haven't tried either. How bout attaching meaning to your obsession... is it blind faith?

Posted by tholl-yung at November 18, 2006 10:59 AM

comment #16