Mel Gibson's Apocalypto

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 14 Dec 2006, 16:45

EvaUnit02 wrote:
romerojpg wrote:I guess the religious people are going to see Acapulcopops, as its far from a film that would normally ever get that many people going to see it, ever.
I don't see what on Earth a film about the Mayan civilisation has to do with Christianity, so why would a Christian audience bother with this film?

As I said, becuase Gibson now has a MASSIVE Religous fanbase, they will see anything he makes now as thats what religious peple do, as they can be nuts like that.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 15 Dec 2006, 00:20

I think the hard right religious contigent in america are more likely to avoid this film like the plague, they'd consider it to be corrupting paganistic propoganda no doubt.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 31 Dec 2006, 15:21

I'm going to see it when it comes out I hope. I saw an ad today on TV, the actual ad was rather poor.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 31 Dec 2006, 17:40

Me too I can't wait.

The ad. cracked me up though. How do we sell a film entirely in an odd language because all non-English languages are odd to Joe Public?

We splatter Gibson's voice all over it of course

. You can always tell when a film isn't in English because they're always completely devoid of voice.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 31 Dec 2006, 18:40

True, the ad made me laugh

Gibson kept going on about "wanting to tell the story of those people" or words like that.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 05 Jan 2007, 18:21

Apocalypto 3/5

Again as with Passion of the Christ, Gibson sugarcoats a film to give it that "grand epic" look, but again delivers a fairly one dimensional storyline. Thankfully this time, the premise is a bit more interesting than a bloke getting the seven shades of shit kicked out of him for two hours.

The first hour shows a bunch of villagers getting kidnapped. The second hour is basically a looooong chase scene. When you think about it, Apocalypto is just a B-movie... like Evil Dead or something... but all glossed up with fancy music and pretty photography. It's fairly obvious that it was filmed digitally - I remember Scary Movie 4 looking identical.

The opening quote is:

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

Most useless opening quote ever! They may as well have used one of Romero's quotes, as it has nothing to do with the storyline. You kind of expect something huge and meaningful... Apocalypto... end of a civilization.... but nope, you just get a slightly above average action movie with subtitles to make it look contemporary.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 05 Jan 2007, 19:26

. Cheers Bisc.

The movie marketing people are truly weird. This like The Passion is in a foreign language but as Big Mel + Hollywood were behind it it gets a decent release and crucially advertising.

Pan's Labyrinth gets released which is easily big enough to warrant Multiplex screens and to be hugely popular by everyone, it too is in a foreign language but it has no big Hollywood geezer behind it so gets no marketing or advertising period. Not only that but it gets shown in virtually no cinemas.

I can't figure it out???

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 06 Jan 2007, 00:52

Also - a lot of people walked out. A few during the first half - perhaps they didn't expect it to be subtitled, I don't know.

But the majority left during the second half... it was one hell of a chase scene. Maybe people got fed up because it took ages?

Seriously let down because it's not what I was expecting. I guess as a dumb, no-brainer kinda film, it's ok.

I reckon Star Wars Episode III was deeper and more meaningful (definitely more apocalyptic) than Mel's film.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 06 Jan 2007, 01:02

bradavon wrote:I can't figure it out???

Momentum doesn't have the muscle and money to throw behind their marketing, unlike a major Hollywood studio.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 06 Jan 2007, 01:59

BiscLimpkit wrote:Also - a lot of people walked out. A few during the first half - perhaps they didn't expect it to be subtitled, I don't know.

I bet some did. The trailer cleverly conceals this.

EvaUnit02 wrote:Momentum doesn't have the muscle and money to throw behind their marketing, unlike a major Hollywood studio.

True but then I can count on one hand the number of non-English language films a year which get decent marketing.

I'd say it's more an assumed cultural problem. The only non-English films which always get marketing now a days are martial arts ones (such as CTHD, HOFD).

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 07 Jan 2007, 23:56

BiscLimpkit wrote:Most useless opening quote ever! They may as well have used one of Romero's quotes, as it has nothing to do with the storyline.

Did you stay until the end Bisc? I saw this last night and it plays a big part to the meaning of the film and especially the ending.

I disagree it's a B-Movie (I've never seen a B-Movie look this good) and thought while yes the plot was simple it had some depth.

Personally I overall really enjoyed it, even if it took a while to get going. It looked gorgeous, was realistically violent (too many films stay away to not offend anyone) and was enjoyable from start to finish.

The look was incredible, Gibson has clearly paid so much attention to the look, feel and attention to detail. Yes also agreed the trailer makes it look like an epic with big battle which is definitely not the case but to be honest I was disappointed as what we got was also very good.

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One bit did have me in shock that I can't believe they filmed it. Spoiler tags are broken so don't read the parts in BOLD.

SPOILER

I can't believe how ridiculous it looked when the leads wife gave birth. It was filmed to look like you can give birth in a few seconds and the baby literally just pops out.

What on earth where they thinking. I couldn't believe how stupid it looked.

SPOILERS OVER!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My screening had workouts too, how dumb can people be that they find it just to difficult to read subtitles. One couple worked out a good hour in, what a waste of time and money.

I don't give a monkeys about Mel Gibson the man it's wrong IMO to mix up the man with his work. There are no religious undertones in the film in the slightest.

A respectable 7 out of 10

One for the DVD collection.

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 08 Jan 2007, 01:35

bradavon wrote:[...]it's wrong IMO to mix up the man with his work.

Tell that to Hitler.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 08 Jan 2007, 18:44

bradavon wrote: Did you stay until the end Bisc? I saw this last night and it plays a big part to the meaning of the film and especially the ending.

I did. What would that be?

bradavon wrote: I disagree it's a B-Movie (I've never seen a B-Movie look this good) and thought while yes the plot was simple it had some depth.

Hmm on second thoughts, I think you're right. Your average B-movie has more depth than this.

If you re-read my post, I did say that it's a B-movie glossed up to look good.

bradavon wrote: Personally I overall really enjoyed it, even if it took a while to get going. It looked gorgeous, was realistically violent (too many films stay away to not offend anyone) and was enjoyable from start to finish.

The look was incredible, Gibson has clearly paid so much attention to the look, feel and attention to detail. Yes also agreed the trailer makes it look like an epic with big battle which is definitely not the case but to be honest I was disappointed as what we got was also very good.

A respectable 7 out of 10

Your score is only 1 mark more than mine so our opinions can't be too far off. It is above average but primarily because, as you say, Gibson takes his time to make it look gorgeous.

I bet he could make a 2hr film about someone taking a dump, and still sugarcoat it as an epic drama - with all his fancy camerawork and attention to detail.

The storyline is very simple - it has precious little to do with Mayan race, civilization or history.

Gibson could have easily told the same story with any race (Romans, Egyptians, Glasweigians) - it would not have made any difference.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 08 Jan 2007, 19:37

BiscLimpkit wrote:I did. What would that be?

SPOILERS:

When the Conquistadors (Spanish) turned up.

SPOILERS OVER

BiscLimpkit wrote:Your score is only 1 mark more than mine so our opinions can't be too far off.

Not really. My scoring system is based on my opinion and yours yours.

I half agree with you on the rest

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 08 Jan 2007, 21:16

That's a piss poor attempt to justify the quote IMO. If that was Gibson's attempt at depth then I pity the guy... I actually feel embarassed for him.

Ah and you're right on the scoring comment, well said.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 11 Jan 2007, 19:04

This wasn't bad but no classic.2nd half of the movie reminded me of the classic 60's jungle picture The Naked Prey please paramount give that classic a widescreen release

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 11 Jan 2007, 20:19

Agreed not a classic but a DVD purchase.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 12 Jan 2007, 14:35

bradavon wrote:Agreed not a classic but a DVD purchase.

Classic is a subjective term. I.e. you hate Citizen Kane.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 12 Jan 2007, 19:33

Better?

-

bradavon wrote:Agreed not a classic IN MY OPINION but a DVD purchase.

p.s - Why are you singling me out? Salty said the same