Friday, December 8, 2006
The term "auteur" is applied to those directors whose personal stamp is recognizable over their body of work. Similar subjects, stylistic choices and thematic elements can be found in the films of an auteur.
Congratulations, Mel Gibson, you are now an auteur.
Starring in "The Road Warrior" and all those "Lethal Weapon" movies obviously taught Gibson how to create a thrilling action scene, because his latest film "Apocalypto" is just that-one big thrilling action scene that goes on forever.
Unfortunately it is clear Gibson was going for something more, as is clear from the quote by historian Will Durant at the opening of the movie.
The statement, written about Rome, says that great civilizations rot from within before the outside forces eventually seal their doom. In "Apocalypto," Gibson shows us nothing more of a Mayan city than its violent, ugly tendencies. What is the director trying to say then about the Mayan culture-that if they wouldn't have enslaved, tortured, and sacrificed their own population, they'd have lasted longer? What an insight...
Obviously there was more to Mayan culture than their savagery-more that precipitated their demise, more that could have helped them maintain a place in a world closing in on them. But it's not in this film, and so whatever message Gibson was trying to communicate rings hollow at best.
Movie
Apocalypto **
Mel Gibson hinted at it with Jesus' agonizing death in "The Passion of the Christ." Now he proves it: He's master of the epic snuff film. This saga of the ancient Mayans of Central America has an immeasurable body count and mutilation factor. The director offers breathtaking production values but the violence is distracting.
Instead the film plays more like Gibson's Top 10 Gore Fetishes than a historical epic. I understand that Mayans sacrificed humans and blood flowed like water around the temples, but how many shots of decapitated heads and mangled bodies do we need to see to get the idea? How long must the camera linger, zoomed in on a panther ripping the skin off a man's face?
If the violence had something to say, like the shocking and realistic gore in Spielberg's "Munich," then it would be possible to step back and applaud how effectively the blood and guts is brought to the screen. Instead, Gibson seems more enthralled with finding creative ways to kill his characters than he is about discussing what might make a culture extinct. And so it becomes a big budget slasher film in the jungle.
"Apocalypto" is not historically accurate, and Gibson doesn't claim that it is. That's fine, but it has more in common with every modern Hollywood crowd pleaser than anything else, complete with crotch jokes, nagging mother-in-laws, and silly dialogue. Just because the film is spoken in Yucatec, a virtually dead language, doesn't mean that this is art house fare. When one Mayan warrior is bitten by a poisonous snake, his friend says to the others (in subtitles of course), "He's f**ked."
The story follows an affable young villager Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood), who is torn away from his family and forced to march in shackles to the giant city to await a darker fate. All the while he yearns to be back with his pregnant wife and child, whom he has left at the bottom of a well.
Gibson skillfully builds up suspense with every action scene, careful to keep us involved with every mounting conflict, like a good episode of TV's "24." On his way back into the jungle with the Mayan warriors in chase, Jaguar Paw assumes the role of a primitive MacGyver, improvising death traps for his pursuers with nothing more than his wits and what's around him.
If it's initially engrossing, eventually the movie wears you down. The never-ending stream of conflicts are so over-the-top and implausible that it borders on comical.
Gibson has said that "Apocalypto" can be read as an allegory for today's society, but that just doesn't work. That's like saying "Talladega Nights" was a serious wake-up call for NASCAR fans everywhere. You can't decry a culture's behavior and then revel in its viciousness at the same time.
From "Braveheart" to "The Passion of the Christ" and now "Apocalypto," Gibson has shown his tendency towards ancient times, outdoor locations, martyrdom, and sheer bloody torture is no coincidence. It's an infatuation. Now that he has established himself as an auteur, everybody will know what to expect from a Mel Gibson movie.
Comments
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Shardwurm (anonymous) says…
Fascinating. Particularly since this movie is getting rave reviews across the country.
5ftqueeny (anonymous) says…
I saw it last night.... this article sums it up quite well. It definetly dragged on. Visually, I thought it was cool. Wait until it comes out on video if you really care to see it.
cog_nate (Nate Poell) says…
Well, the reviews haven't been all raves. It's a 67 (Generally Favorable) at Metacritic -- -- and they tend to include pretty generous reviews. I've got better things to spend $9 on than Gibson's hyperviolent visions... like vodka, tang and Burrito King.
Eric_Melin (Eric Melin) says…
Hey delegatezero-
I really don't appreciate a posting suggesting that I plagiarized another review. I've never done that before in my life. If you're going to throw a word like that around, at least have the courage to back it up with a link to said review.
But think about the damage you do to me when post something like that. That's not cool. I don't know what review you're talking about, but since we saw the same film, some of our opinions may be similar. Just look at the other review Lawrence.com posted of this movie. I wrote my review & headline, turned it in, and then saw the other headline. Very similar. I haven't read his review, but I'll bet it brings up some points that I did.
It is a very violent movie. Many people will have this reaction.
But my take on that, the words I chose, my specific POV and way of framing my argument is mine alone.
This review was also edited for size. To see a copy of my unedited review. Go here: http://www.lawrence.com/blogs/scenest...
And next time, think before you post.
OnShakedown (Chris Tackett) says…
Eric, i saw it on friday and your review (and anyother review that hits on the points you made) is spot-on.
The entire film really is exhausting. And if you're able to step back from the action you realize how ridiculous that final chase scene really was.
I do think it's worth seeing, but one certainly needs to keep the shallowness of Gibson's portrayal of the Mayans in mind.
Eric_Melin (Eric Melin) says…
Chris-
Apparently, I plaigarized this article (that goes into researched detail about some of the ideas I brought up in my article) too, even though it was posted 3 days after my review.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi...
Anyway, it is interesting. It discusses the ways Mayan culture was misrepresented in the film.
robschmidt (anonymous) says…
I've read most of the reviews. Eric Melin's review is similar to them because he saw the same movie with the same flaws. But I'm pretty sure he didn't plagiarize any of their remarks.
Most of the reviews have been mixed at best. They note Gibson's filmmaking prowess but also his over-the-top gore. I'd say Melin's review is typical of what the critics are saying.
See my Newspaper Rock blog at http://www.bluecorncomics.com/newsroc... for more on "Apocalypto."
feratu (anonymous) says…
delegatezero: "This is just a rip on a review I've seen on a national news website. Plaigarism. Not cool!"
Yeah, they shouldn't steal Eric's ideas like that. Seriously, if you think Eric Melin reads a bunch of other reviews before he writes his, and then steals the best parts, then you're an idiot. His integrity is without question.