Apocalypto

Apocalypto

Director Mel Gibson intended his film, “Apocolypto”, as a warning to modern day civilization about the potential for economic, political, and environmental collapse. He portrays his warning through the way that the Mayans used science, math, architecture, astronomy, etc. and the decline of the Mayan empire.

Mel Gibson tried to show a warning through show how the Mayans used astronomy and architecture to control the citizens. For example, during the eclipse when the oracle said bring the light back it showed that he knew it was coming and expected it. He made the citizens think he had a direct lineage to the gods. Another example would be when it showed the citizens working with limestone. The Mayans used the need for architecture to get the citizens do what they say. This is a warning because it shows the potential of the government having the ability to fool us and force us to do laborious work.

Gibson also gives a warning through the decline of the Mayan empire. For example, when they were entering the city they passed by the people who lived in the makeshift huts and the people dying. This showed that there weren’t enough houses in the city or that houses were falling apart foreshadowing the decline of the empire. Also, when the soldier killed the other warrior for disobeying him. This showed that they had no problem killing one of themselves. This foretells that the empire might have fallen out of war. The warning is that war might make our government fall one day.

Regardless of the warning there were some historical inconsistences. One of these historical errors was the sacrifice. It was the Aztecs who sacrificed on a large scale. They could sacrifice between 10,000 and 80,400 people per ceremony. Also, the Spanish explorer showing up in the end was not appropriate because the Mayan empire collapsed around 800 AD and the explorers came around 1500 AD. Hence, there are some historical inconsistences.

I would recommend this movie to a...