organized chaos

Senseless bloodbath or gripping history lesson? 

This might seem like the most obscure review you’ve ever read.  Here’s the bottom line.  I liked this movie.  Was there a lot of blood?  Yes.  Too much?  Probably.  But I’m sure it was an accurate portrayal of the fighting within the tribes of the Maya.  Which leads me to my next obscure observation.

I think Mr. Gibson mixed up his history a bit.  This movie did a good thing for me.  I am now very interested in the history of the Americas.  I didn’t get much of this in school.  The only history I really remember is singing “The Yellow Rose of Texas” in Texas, along with a detailed account of all things Texan.  Every year I lived there.

And then in High School it was all about the U.S of A. and our government.  Even that was a bit dry if you ask me.  Mostly I did what was only absolutely necessary to pass.  Which is why I don’t remember much now.

So after watching Apocalypto, My Man borrowed some lectures from the library about the conquering of the Americas.  He likes lectures.  Usually I don’t.  But these I’ve actually watched.  And I’ve learned that the Spanish didn’t come until about 50 years after the first Mayan empire annihilated themselves. So if Mel was trying to portray the Mayan Empire and then had the Spanish show up at the end, he would’ve been wrong.

But that’s ok.  It’s not like he was making a documentary. It’s film. A movie.  Entertainment with enough truth to make me look up the real history.  And that, in my opinion, is a good thing.

But back to the violence for a moment.  I read many reviews that wanted to flush this whole movie down the tubes because it was too bloody for no good reason other than to capture the shock value on film.  Yes, there were a lot of scenes that disturbed me and some that I actually covered my face so I couldn’t see what they would do.  But it was quite a ride.  The whole time I was riveted.  I couldn’t have turned it off if I’d wanted to.

So there you have it or there you don’t.  I’m not going to say, “Go watch this movie right now.”  But now you have my 4 cents and surely you’re life must now be complete.