Mel Gibson
Apocalypto

After the pathetic and inappropriate "The Passion of the Christ," Mel returns in 2006 with "Apocalypto," a historical-adventure film that, despite considerable anticipation and expectations, is an absolute flop: negative reviews, a flood of criticisms about the absolutely gratuitous use of violence, heavy protests and debates, legal issues, endless problems with censorship and bans, negligible box office revenue. The international criticism received the film with hostility, many countries banned its release without reservations, and the audience was not enthusiastic at all. Gibson was accused of using disturbing and violent images in an exaggerated and disrespectful manner and of not respecting historical accuracy in the depiction of the Maya civilization and its history, culture, religiosity, and language.

The film depicts the internal struggles within the Maya civilization, which, even before the arrival of the European conquistadors, by the mid-1500s, had already deteriorated, heading towards an irreversible decline. In a small village in the Yucatán lives Jaguar Paw, with his wife pregnant with their second child. Their peaceful and happy life is shattered when an expedition from a large Maya city destroys the village and abducts men and women to sell them as slaves and use them as human sacrifices for the god Kulkulkan: Jaguar Paw hides his wife and son in a well, he is captured and deported to the city, but at the moment of his sacrifice, he is miraculously saved by a solar eclipse. He then manages to escape through the forest, killing his numerous pursuers and saving his family. Although now, with the arrival of the foreigners, the end of the great Maya civilization seems ever closer.

The film presents some positive aspects: meticulously and originally directed, an extraordinary screenplay that necessarily supports the narrative in the absence of dialogue (the acting is in Yucatec with subtitles), surprisingly realistic special effects, evocative settings, exceptional and highly detailed costumes. However, the plot is utterly inconsistent, the use of violence is gratuitous and entirely instrumental, the soundtrack is practically non-existent, and the historical characterization is often false and implausible.

Overall, therefore, it is not a masterpiece, it is not a memorable film destined to revolutionize the history of cinema. But it is still worth watching, with all its flaws and peculiarities: an original film in direction, well-crafted, blending history and action into a product that is, after all, interesting and enjoyable.