| Author |
 Topic  |
|
MguyXXV 
"X marks the spot"
|
 Posted - 01/19/2007 : 09:58:09
|
| There's a very funny clip from SNL about the film. The link is difficult to isolate, so I have to just direct you here here. The clip that comes up is funny, but you have to look for the micro thumbnail of an Mayan child and click on that. |
Edited by - MguyXXV on 01/19/2007 22:42:38 |
 |
|
|
Paddy C 
"Does not compute! Lame!"
|
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 10:01:41
|
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Well, you could see it  Or ... You could just read my review here
 
Liked the review a lot BBabe, especially the creative use of Latin!
I enjoyed the straight-forward action in this movie, but like you say, I didn't take much away from it. The most memorable parts for me were the sections in the Mayan city.
I have to say, after all I had heard about the level of violence, I was very underwhelmed by the bloodshed in Apocalypto. In the context of ancient tribes, hunts and wars, I didn't think it was ever excessive.. 'Pan's Labyrinth' was far more violent in my book, and there is little or no fuss made of that..
Have posted a review here, but I'd pre-empt it with a warning, I didn't put Mel aside.. which in hindsight was probably a mistake!  |
Edited by - Paddy C on 01/19/2007 11:01:05 |
|
|
|
Demisemicenturian
"Four ever European"
|
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 10:02:40
|
I agree that the plot and characterisation were very simple, but I really did quite enjoy it. It's always interesting to see films not in English for a start (though I didn't really understand why the three groups, with the exception of one occasion, could all understand one another). Re: the good/evil characters, this is mostly true, but there is some variation. There are the other men and mother-in-law picking on the slightly pudgy perhaps infertile one. The Mayan capturers are presented as almost completely unsympathetic, but the father's love for his son is shown. However, a war party like that would be the violent and hard-edged part of society. Some of the other Mayans seem to show some sympathy/appreciation for the captives, such as the women who paint them blue and the starving people (unless they are also slaves - I couldn't tell).
While I agree that a message in the film is that the Spanish did not cause the Mayans' downfall, I don't think that they are shown positively when they arrive - they look very sinister and the hero and his family flee to the forest as the best course of action.
Some stupid points: Quite a big show is given of the children trying to follow their parents and the girl saying she'll look after them. Where did they go? Wouldn't they have returned to the village, where they would have dropped a rope down the hole/well? What happens to the other captives who are still alive when the Mayans run off after Jaguar Paw? Wouldn't they run back home too? When he kills of the fourth last Mayan and then the leader, why on Earth wouldn't he take the axe/knife with him? When his wife and son are almost underwater, why has she got the boy on her shoulders, pushing her under? People float! He would need to hold onto the side, but he could do this as he does so later. I also agree that the diseased girl going from a crying orphan to being a witchlike prophet is completely ridiculous. |
Edited by - Demisemicenturian on 01/19/2007 10:33:37 |
|
|
|
BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
|
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 10:33:59
|
quote:
Originally posted by Paddy C
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Well, you could see it Or ... You could just read my review here
Liked the review a lot BBabe, especially the creative use of Latin!
Why, thanks! 
quote:
Have posted a review here, but I'd pre-empt it with a warning, I didn't put Mel aside.. which in hindsight was probably a mistake!
Uhm, is it just me or is that link bringing up a page not found error message?
|
|
|
|
Paddy C
"Does not compute! Lame!"
|
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 11:03:02
|
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Uhm, is it just me or is that link bringing up a page not found error message?
It would have helped if i could spell apoclapypto properly!! 
here you go |
|
|
|
BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
|
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 11:48:58
|
quote:
Originally posted by Paddy C
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Uhm, is it just me or is that link bringing up a page not found error message?
It would have helped if i could spell apoclapypto properly!!
here you go
Well - almost
I think THIS is the url you want!
PS Thanks again, PaddyC for the chance to read your movie blog -- or Mlog as I'm going to call it from now on  -- Your review is thoughtful and considered, though I'm not sure I agree about how close Mel allows you to get to anyone in order to sustain the rest of the all-action follow-up. But hey - maybe that's just me 
But I DO always enjoy an analaysis of a film that goes beyond the "I liked it"/"I didn't like it" level of discussion. But hey - maybe that's just me again!
|
Edited by - BaftaBaby on 01/19/2007 11:59:12 |
|
|
|
Conan The Westy
"Father, Faithful Friend, Fwiffer"
|
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 13:04:20
|
| Great review Paddy C but this line tickled my fancy... "for the third half of the movie". Lucky this Maths teacher is on holidays. |
|
|
|
Paddy C
"Does not compute! Lame!"
|
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 13:12:18
|
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
Thanks again, PaddyC for the chance to read your Mlog -- Your review is thoughtful and considered, though I'm not sure I agree about how close Mel allows you to get to anyone in order to sustain the rest of the all-action follow-up. But hey - maybe that's just me
But I DO always enjoy an analaysis of a film that goes beyond the "I liked it"/"I didn't like it" level of discussion. But hey - maybe that's just me again!
Thanks Bbabe! Am learning as i go with this more-than-four-word review stuff... the general rules are: give a bit of context, dont spoil it, and try to be balanced. It's a tricky game though! |
|
|
|
Paddy C
"Does not compute! Lame!"
|
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 13:13:15
|
quote:
Originally posted by Conan The Westy
Great review Paddy C but this line tickled my fancy... "for the third half of the movie". Lucky this Maths teacher is on holidays.
Thanks! and oops! |
|
|
|
Demisemicenturian
"Four ever European"
|
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 14:06:54
|
quote:
Originally posted by Conan The Westy
Great review Paddy C but this line tickled my fancy... "for the third half of the movie". Lucky this Maths teacher is on holidays.
They always say this on Countdown, or at least Richard Whiteley used to - it always tickled him for some reason, but I found it really annoying! |
|
|
|
demonic
"Cinemaniac"
|
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 14:43:10
|
| Some good comments and some great reviews. It's interesting that a couple of people have mentioned how they've not considered the bloodletting or the violence to be particularly excessive in this film - I wonder whether that is because they were pre-warned and perhaps expected worse (the limits of imagination as we know are far worse than reality), or we've just gotten too used to seeing extremes on the silver screen. I'd stand by my assertion of the violence being excessive and sadistic in this film from a couple of viewpoints, bearing in mind this is meant to be a "realistic" movie and not a horror or fantasy. A couple of moments stick in my mind (no, not the bitten tapir bollocks squirting onto the Mayan's chin, grim as that was) firstly the panther ripping the flesh from one of the pursuers faces. This is graphic, but acceptable because what you see, although unpleasant, is probably what you would actually see in the situation. However when the prisoners have the chance to run to their freedom - running the gauntlet you might call it - one of the prisoners gets an arrow or spear through the back of the head that protrudes through his mouth forcing his face into the camera and a stylised close up on the screen. That moment smacked of excess and sadism to me - there is actually no benefit to the story to show it, other than to get in a gruesome and showy death for the sake of it. Gibson sat down with his co-writer and thought of all the ways he could kill his characters and you can almost see him childishly rubbing his hands with glee. I have no problem with violent movies, in fact I really enjoy a good horror, even involving sadistic killing ("Audition" springs to mind) but in this instance the sadism didn't reflect anything necessary in the story, only the overt workings of the director's mind and that was what troubled me. |
|
|
|
Paddy C
"Does not compute! Lame!"
|
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 14:57:43
|
quote:
Originally posted by demonic
Gibson sat down with his co-writer and thought of all the ways he could kill his characters and you can almost see him childishly rubbing his hands with glee.
So he's definitely crazy, this much seems beyond doubt, and he tries to have fun at work.... but doesn't this makes him quite similar to the majority of people?!  |
|
|
|
Conan The Westy
"Father, Faithful Friend, Fwiffer"
|
Posted - 01/19/2007 : 21:00:22
|
quote:
Originally posted by MguyX
There's a very funny clip from SNL about the film. The link is difficult to isolate, so I have to just direct you here here. The clip that comes up is funny, but you have to look for the micro thumbnail of an inca child and click on that.
None of them will play "in my region".
I'm a victim of "regionism".    |
|
|
|
w22dheartlivie
"Kitty Lover"
|
Posted - 01/20/2007 : 14:15:13
|
| Well, I suppose I'm about to reveal my true shallowness. I want to see Apocalypto. Not because of or in spite of Mel Gibson. Not because of an interest is how the history is or isn't skewed. And not because it's a foray into an area not yet explored in film. Unless you count the real reason I want to see it. Which is to see more of Rudy Youngblood. (I'm old, I afford to be shallow sometimes...) |
|
|
|
ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
|
Posted - 01/20/2007 : 14:38:54
|
quote:
Originally posted by wildhartlivie
Well, I suppose I'm about to reveal my true shallowness. I want to see Apocalypto. Not because of or in spite of Mel Gibson. Not because of an interest is how the history is or isn't skewed. And not because it's a foray into an area not yet explored in film. Unless you count the real reason I want to see it. Which is to see more of Rudy Youngblood.
Well... can't fault that, now can I? I cannot count how many movies have I watched (good, bad or indifferent) just because I wanted to drool over one star or another.
quote:
(I'm old, I afford to be shallow sometimes...)
I'm older than you, girl. That's not shallow, that's just being honest.
(When we stop looking, we'll be [hopefully] dead.)
|
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Apocalypto (contains minor spoilers)
