Saw the preview of this on the big screen last night. It actually looks pretty interesting.
I admit that I couldn't stand Passion of the Christ. I thought it sucked, was perversely
violent, the acting was phoned in and etc I could go on and on.

But I'm looking forward to the spin the Mel dog is going to put on the Mayan civilization.
Anyone else going to go see this one?

The preview looked pretty bad ass, real epic huge scenes. But it's all subtitled, right?

I get what he's going for with another language, but it will turn people away from it. I can't stand having to read and watch scenes at the same time.

yeah

bump. I'm going to see it this afternoon; will report back on it's substance or lack thereof.



that is, if anyone cares to hear.

Definitely interested in hearing the review. I've thought about seeing this just for the freak factor, but not sure if I should wait and get it on Netflix.

It's interesting that Gibson chose to show up in the promos (at least the ones I saw on tv during Thxgiving weekend). With the crunk anti-semitic thing not quite forgotten, I'd have expected him to stay in the background to maximize the film's chance of succeeding on its own. Then again, maybe it'd have been too obscure without his association. Cocky bastard.

Wha? Are you serious? Did you see how much money the Passion raked in? On repeat viewings from religious nuts, too. That one had a language barrier too. If the movie's good enough and it starts a buzz, no one cares about having to read and view. The only thing this movie has working against besides Mel's troubles is that there's no white people in it (which is why Mel's in the previews). But again if this film is good enough, the mainstream will still see it.

Does that really bother you that much? You're missing out on a lot of terrific films if it does.

I'm not planning on seeing it, though it does look interesting and I think the Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas are very fascinating and under-explored. I just have a serious problem with Mel Gibson's lustful, nearly sexual obsession with violence. It really takes away from his story-telling ability, which is the only thing his movies have going for themselves. He has little to say regarding themes or ideas. And his strict Christian moral code yields little to say about the world. I contrast him to Clint Eastwood. While Eastwood's agenda is right wing, I still respect his ability to give a rounded, thoughtful perspective to his subjects.

"A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within."

Mel proves how every non-Christian society is doomed to failure without help from white Christians. Bravo!

I have to admit I'm pretty conflicted about seeing this. I've always taken the position that you have to separate the art from the artist (I'm still a fan of Woody Allen and Roman Polanski, and I can dig some Vaugner [sic?], and I obivously despise all of their acts; but at the end of the day I'm never gonna grab a beer with them or talk about the 85 bears so I look past the bad stuff).

However, I'm a Jew, and looking at Gibson's comments; the fact that his father is a holocaust denier whose views Gibson never really expressly rejected; and the fact that Passion now can easily take on an antisemetic bent.... I think I have to cross that line where I'm gonna refuse to put any money in his pockets. Still thinking about it though.

I saw it yesterday. I thought it was entertaining, but any moral theme was lost on me. I think too much has been made about this being Mel's end of the world rant. If that was the idea behind this film he failed miserably. I see it more as an action picture with a new and different setting, and on this level the film succeeds. However, the violence and gore is a distraction.

Fixed

OTM

Yeah, if I wanted to watch 2 1/2 hours of a man getting his ass whupped, I'd rent a porno, you get all that the passion had to offer and a leather clad vixen doing the job instead of a bunch of fugly romans.

I went to see this last night on a whim. While I'm no fan of Mel Gibson, I have to concede that this was the best action film I've seen in years. Absolutely riveting.

good to hear!!! I admit I have yet to see it, plan on going after the Bears game tonight.

#1 movie in America? That's what the commercials say.

yeah, it made like $14 million last week, which was enough to get it the #1 spot but not a particularly stunning debut either, on a stronger week I think it would've landed at #3 or #4.

This movie was great. Critics are overplaying the gore, it was much more subdued than
the passion of the christ, and did not detract from the overall film. The action, story, and
the visual effects (setting and makeup) were all done well, too.

I liked it a lot, and feel that Mel has finally made a worthwhile film. Hooray for Mad Mel !!!


APOCALYPTO is the SHIT!

It's a shame people are not going to give it a chance because the passion was a bloody turd
and Gibson should be in a straight jacket.

I heard from a freind that they spend very little time in the city and most of the time chasing each other through every concievable jungle cliche', i.e. cliffs, quicksand, etc. I'd probably go see it if they spent a little more time focusing on the city and its denizens.

Well that's how action movies tend to be, right? Gibson's intention wasn't to make a boring
documentary; the storyline worked out did not focus on the city, only on the city's effects on
itself and others outside of it.

Yep. One of the best films of the year.

damn, it's about time someone else recognized! I had a feeling I was a total odd man out on this one.

so did a lot of people avoid this one because it was a Mel Gibson film?

I think so. Check Matt W's comments above- smart guy with good taste won't see it because of the perceived notion that Mel's "obsession" with violence supercedes good filmaking. While I would somewhat agree this is true for Passion of the Christ, in Apocalypto, as in Braveheart, the violence is woven into the drama so well, and seems such a realistic part of the Mayan culture described, it is much less offensive than the reviews would have you believe.


The last 30 minutes is as gripping as any film I've seen...and (Spoiler Alert)...



















....some of the Pitfall-esque stops that are pulled are the stuff of fantasy and nightmare...the quicksand...hornets nest wrapped in the giant leaf...snake bite...jaguar attack, etc. It all culminates in that awesome Jurasic Park like moment on the beach where you can't see how the hero is going to get away, having collapsed as the hunters approach.

Saving Private Ryan was more subdued than Passion of the Christ.

i'm not avoiding it because of mel gibson. i don't think that with 80% of hollywod films it really matters who the director is.

i was curious at first as it being a history related type of film. but after watching the preview i thought it was borring. running. jumping. killing and eating people. whatever.

Surprisingly cool flick, but there is a lot of in-your-face violence. And they claim to have edited the really bad stuff out in order to get an R rating. Yeah, I'd say Mel digs the gross stuff a little too much for my tastes. But then again, he was Mad Max.

i think the whole violence thing is just his way of establishing himslef as a director. sort of like having his own touch to directing. like he "knows" something about it.

Like I said in my first post, I didn't like the Passion. These two movies are
separate beasts altogether.

Mel made a mediocre/crappy film, and finally hit his stride with this one.

The violence in this movie has disturbed some people, but to me it wasn't
overdone, or their for the sake of exploitation. It fit in with the film.

You're all right, EPT. Aren't you the one who's a big fan of Dogville? Definitely Lars von Trier's best.

Actually, it occurs to me that there's a parallel of sorts between the him and Gibson. Both use violence extraordinarily well (i.e., to dramatic effect, rather than for pure, disgusting shock value), disturbing as this may be on a number of levels. With von Trier, it's mostly emotional (and misogynistic) violence. Gibson is all about physical violence and misanthropy--check out the Roman soliders in the Passion (sure, he's an anti-Semite, too, but, in the worst medieval Catholic tradition, his hate pretty much extends to all flesh). And they both have a tendency to go completely off the handle sometimes (von Trier: Breaking the Waves, Gibson: Passion), to the point it's no longer just vaguely disturbing, but just not enjoyable to watch or otherwise burdened by artistic merit.