Posted on 12/01/2006 3:38:06 AM PST by AmericaUnited
'Apocalypto' Is More 'Mad Max' Than Mayan
With the subtlety of several thousand flying mallets and arrows, here comes Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto," a two hour plus torture-fest so violent that women and children will be headed to the doors faster than you can say "duck" when the film opens on Dec. 8th.
Indeed, 'Apocalypto' is the most violent movie Disney has ever released, with so much blood spurting out of orifices that even Martin Scorsese would blush. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to see heads and hearts removed without anesthesia, then this is the movie for you. "Grey's Anatomy" it is not.
...
"Apocalypto" surpasses "The Passion" in every way as a movie about pain, flagellation and wounding. The grotesqueries are almost numbing, and at some point they become laughable. But all the while, you're thinking, what's the point here? If "Apocalypto" was supposed to be about that transitional civilization, where is it? After two hours and several minutes of squirming and covering eyes, you start to think that "Apocalypto" exists just to show violence for itself. The point is lost.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Realistic it may be. Fundamentally decent it is not.
I agree, and that's why I don't generally watch them. However, I would rather have the sick crowd watching this than Halloween 16.
IMO, these types of 'realism' portrayed in movies are a by-product of violent and bloody video games such as Grand Theft Auto, etc..
I think your observation,found in your second sentence,answers your question found in your first. Gibson probably sees clearly that normal people do not want to dwell on violence,thus the slippery slope.
Most people want to ignore the glorification of the body,the drugs and artificial substances used to mitigate or enhance natural state of man,the sickness and disease caused by indulging in one's own pursuit of all types of pleasure,the competition for winning at any cost,the misuse of others for personal gratification, the loss of respect for lives,murders that account for 20,000,or so deaths a year in this country,experimentation on some humans to enable some others to live on,abortions for specific reasons,abortions for convenience,killing one's own children and family,and on it goes.
In the past there was no means of condensing the tumble down the slope to extinction in a way that could show the watching public just what happened to other societies that started down the same slope. Now there is. It won't be every ones' cup of tea,but if it nudges a few people to get off their duffs and start taking positions that are not politically correct but instead just plain sound,then maybe we can turn the tide.
In Europe the Pope begs the EU to consider the roots of Western Civilization and acknowledge God and absolute Truth,he preaches to an anesthetized people, Mel is trying to do the same things with pictures. In other words to present a picture of a people who have developed a sophisticated,society without God and how it descends and is obliterated. I hope he succeeds in waking up a few more people.
LOL!
Many world renowned geniuses in the arts have personal demons. Gibson proved his genius once he made Braveheart.
And, IMO, Passion of The Christ was a marketing niche filled.
He needs to quit falling into the political arena, that would help. Its hard for people to believe anymore that is isn't always necessary to be political. To me it is like he is trying to seek popularity with the Hollywood people. He doesn't realize that he doesn't need to. He has proved numerous times his capabilities at the box office in front of and in back of the camera. Its a shame to see a guy go off the deep end.
If anything it teaches and/or reminds us of what humans are truly capable.
LOL! What did the reviewer think he was going to see with a title like "Apocalypto"?
Was it not just reported that scads of Spaniard remains were unearthed just recently showing obvious signs of dismemberment and cannabalism? I thought the article also indicated the Mayans were incredible brutes who were fortunately felled by their lack of resistance to viruses carried by their victims. If my memory serves, the story went on to document how the victims were caged, literally, and eaten a few at a time or sacrificed as the case may be. The author even wondered what the last person's mental state was like after waiting in a cage for 6 months as his or her kinsmen were slaughtered a few at a time each day.
I'd say the violence quotient for this civilization was quite high. To document it would require, dare I say it, violence.
Don't want to go see it, then don't go. Why do you feel the need to post an article and then treat it as a vanity about your sensibilties ad nauseum?
Let's start a new cateory of vanities:
Things I won't do cause I might ....(insert chafing point)
http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=14863
Sorry. This was on the Aztecs. Googling the Mayans yields some interesting finds, however (like mass graves in Guatemala of conquered victims).
I think the Passion went easy on the gore. My understanding is that after a scourging, very little skin was left.
Well, I consider his alcohol problem and public statements kind of going off the deep end. I have always liked Gibsons work, so I am a little forgiving of him. He does need to get control of himself. He has a big family.
Dear Miss Marple,
I read this interesting post and have some comments for you to consider:
Any actor who is included in a movie about Christ must not be a sinner. That will leave about zero actors.
Any portrayal which offends a literalist interpretation of the Bible is not to be shown. Note that the Catholic Faith believes in a literal interpretation of Scripture. It has NEVER believed in a literalist interpretation.
Some of the most Catholic beliefs of Faith (such as Veronica's veil) or Catholic dogmas (Mary as the Mother of God and due the highest respect as Full of Grace) must be expunged from this movie or it will offend literalist beliefs in sola scriptura which itself appears nowhere in Scripture but is a product of the Reformation.
If you skipped Mel Gibson's movie because of a skittish stomach, it was a wise choice. It was not for the faint of heart. Then too, those who have pilloried it have no problems in seeing redeeming features in "Hostel", apparently one of the most disturbing movies ever filmed, and a whole slew of other ultra gore fest with no redeeming features shown in late night movie houses to teenage crowds.
Some wish to believe that Christ did NOT suffer. They are not the saints who have spent their lives meditating on Christ's crucifixion and death as part of their charism. It hurts to see Jesus suffer. That indicates the utter violence my personal sins have done to the One who is the Savior of all--even to porn stars who play Mary Magdalene in movies about Him.
I can say that I saw the film many times, that it has a very Catholic sensibility, that some who were reluctant to see it with me felt it was beautiful as it was a love story--the greatest love story of all time.
If you choose not to see it, I can understand. However, to justify it by reading posts like the one I am responding to is a disservice to Jesus who suffered for you. If you doubt that statement, tour Europe and see the very graphic depictions of Christ's crucifixion that are evident in every old chapel and monastery. Or, if you prefer, remove Christ from the crucifix and put up a cross which abolishes all links to His body as some do. Then, you will be a Christian of the Resurrection only and will have forgotten the Cross He voluntarily and lovingly carried so as to merit this grace from His Father.
To redeem man, God demanded a Blood sacrifice of a Holy Victim. The Victim was His only Son and every drop of His Blood was Holy and every drop was shed. He was Victim, Priest and King. The purest of all Victims, innocent, led to the slaughter as Isaiah said. To film it realistically might bring some hard cases back to the Faith.
Is there a Mayan Anti-Discrimination League that is protesting this movie?
I understand the pain and suffering that Our Lord underwent in order to redeem us for our sins. I even understand that people could watch "The Pasion" and be moved. Certainly many people have, and that is a good thing.
However, I am not so certain Mr. Gibson's motives were pure, and given this latest movie I think there is certainly room for suspicion.
People are free to watch it. I won't.
---The larger empire may have been gone, but there were still Mayans in smaller groups, some separate, some mixed in with other native groups in the area---
I think they were still Mayans in the same sense that inhabitants of the Italian peninsula were still Romans 500 years after the fall of the western empire.
Didn't have to read any further.
I couldn't agree with you more as to the disgusting nature of the "truth". My point was poorly made that it was Mel's speaking what he really thought. Not in any way what you or I might think.
Frank, you know that's not the point at all so don't be ridiculous with some phony straw man. Having porn actors play leading characters in a 'Christian movie' is a bit weird.
I understand your view. I have to comment on what I saw onscreen and not off screen.
To me the actors were total unknowns who had to learn a variety of languages ranging from Latin to Aramaic. I saw nothing onscreen which was contrary to Christian dogma or the theology of the Catholic Church. If I did see anything like that in the movie, I would not have gone nor recommended it to so many people.
I have no idea what personal demons Mr. Gibson has. His movie We Were Soldiers was one of the best treatments of the conundrum that American GI's faced in the Vietnam war of any filmed.
I suppose you can file this under "God uses human instruments--sinners--to effect His Will." Check the resumes of the Apostles to see that fact.
We will wait in time to see what "fruits" are borne by his movie. I personally feel it is a classic and will have an influence in a positive way on many. I personally cannot say the Sorrowful Mysteries with the lack of intensity I had before.
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