“Apocalypto is amazing,” writes Massawyrm in another AICN posting. “Even in its unfinished form it is easily one of the best films of the year, if not the very best. Once again Mel Gibson sets out to put you in another place and time, one which at first seems totally alien √ɬ¢√¢‚Äö¬¨√¢‚Ǩ≈ì only to brilliantly and quickly endear you to the people you√ɬ¢√¢‚Äö¬¨√¢‚Äû¬¢re following. Within the first 20 minutes of the film you absolutely identify with the tribesman and find quite a bit in common with them. And just as you are completely comfortable and at home with them, bad shit happens. And you feel it.”
We all know Apocalypto is toast with the Academy for reasons that have zip to do with the quality of the film, but wouldnt’ it be interesting if it turned out to be as good as this guy says it is? Gibson is marketing it smartly (i.e., floating the alleged analogy between the self-destructive Mayan culture elements in the film and guys being sent to Iraq to support a policy built on lies). And it’s understood that the film hasn’t been scored and needs a bit of refining, but the next step will obviously be to show it to the press — presumably by sometime in early November.