The opening quote by historical author Will Durant says it all: "A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within."
It only took me five years to finally see this suspenseful action film directed by Mel Gibson. What happens to a society that thinks it is unstoppable and becomes hungry for power? The answer is here. In Greek, "Apocalypto" means unveiling and a new beginning.
The story takes place on the cusp of the Mayan civilization decline. It's a most thrilling film with such fantastic detail. There are a few squeamish and violent scenes but you can just "blink" if it gets to be too much. The vast jungle scenes and cinematography make this worth seeing again and again. There is a touch of sentimental humanity in this story. The story depicts the journey of a MesoAmerican tribesman who must escape human sacrifice and rescue his family after the capture and destruction of his village. The film features a cast of Mexicans and some Native Americans.
A Yucatec Maya dialogue (which offers all the more authenticity for this historical film) is accompanied by subtitles. Mel Gibson explains: "I think hearing a different language allows the audience to completely suspend their own reality and get drawn into the world of the film. And more importantly, this also puts the emphasis on the cinematic visuals, which are a kind of universal language of the heart."
Apocalypto was filmed mainly in Catemaco, San Andres Tustla, and Paso de Ovejas in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The waterfall scene was filmed on a real waterfall called Salto de Eyipantla, located in San Andres Tuxtla.
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