Apocalypto- 5 Star Review

[JimR-OCDS]

I don’t understand you. Montezuma was Aztec. Rolltide said that Aztecs used human sacrifice on a large scale.

Could some of you who saw the movie share what you thought the opening scene, with the hunt of the boar and the theme of the man using the red leaves, was designed to communicate? We had just seen that quote from Will Durant about how civilizations fall, and it was in my mind during the scene.

The movie as I understand it, is about the waning days of the Mayan people. The Aztecs were persecuting these tribes in high numbers, prior to the arrival of the Cortes.

I won’t go further because I don’t want to give away any of the movie. Go see it and you’ll understand what I’m talking about.

Jim

 

[Pug]

The movie as I understand it, is about the waning days of the Mayan people. The Aztecs were persecuting these tribes in high numbers, prior to the arrival of the Cortes.

I won’t go further because I don’t want to give away any of the movie. Go see it and you’ll understand what I’m talking about.

Jim

You are saying that Rolltide incorrectly identified the native high priest as Maya, and that the high priest was in fact Aztec? I was confused about this during the movie. The critics that I had read all placed this movie as completely Maya, so I understood the high priest to have to be intended to be Maya, but my very minimal understanding of history would have placed him as an Aztec. I found myself confused during the movie. (as you see, I did see the movie)

I wouldn’t have been so confused if I hadn’t started with the understanding that the movie was all about the Maya.

So, which is it? Is this movie about Mayans or is it about Mayans and Aztecs? I honestly walked away not knowing. To me, it matters to the understanding of what type of violence it is that is in the film.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Pug

So, which is it? Is this movie about Mayans or is it about Mayans and Aztecs?

Both. The end of the movie gives you the answer.

Jim

 

[Ceil-1]

You all know a great deal more than I do, but I got the impression that the victims were Mayan, and the perps were
Aztec. Perhaps they overlap each other? Maybe I’m way off.

I’m sure there are several layers of meaning to the opening scene, but I felt he was saying that inability to have children was a source of shame in that culture. This is to contrast the anti-life culture of the capturers. ( I was rolling in the aisle over
the mother-in-law scenes, by the way).

I had to go get popcorn, but I was told I missed the scene where the kids get left behind and that the MIL prays to a female goddess-of-sorts to take care of them. I assume this is not long before Our Lady of Guadalupe. I will have to go and see the movie again just for that scene.

It was over-the-top gory, as usual, but aside from that, it probably isn’t all that different from the real thing. It was a brutal time in our history, what with burning witches at the stake, torturing and whatnot.

Is it just us, or was the incision the guy made for the heart too low? If they had gone in that low, the victim would not have been able to experience it because of the diaphragm being cut. There were more than a couple of things that didn’t quite fit.

It is one of my all-time favorites because of the pro-life, pro-family message. I am still in awe.