Apocalypto

Theatrical release poster

***Apocalypto*** is a 2006 action adventure film produced, co-written, and directed by Mel Gibson. The film features a cast of Native American and Indigenous Mexican actors consisting of Rudy Youngblood, Raoul Trujillo, Mayra Sérbulo, Dalia Hernández, Gerardo Taracena, Rodolfo Palacios, Bernardo Ruiz Juarez, Ammel Rodrigo Mendoza, Ricardo Diaz Mendoza, and Israel Contreras. All of the indigenous people depicted in the film were Maya. Similar to Gibson's earlier film *The Passion of the Christ*, all dialogue is in a modern approximation of the ancient language of the setting. Here, the Indigenous Yucatec Mayan language is spoken with subtitles, which sometimes refer to the language as Mayan.

Principal photography took place in Mexico from 21 November 2005 and ended in July 2006. This was the last film Gibson directed until 2016's *Hacksaw Ridge* ten years later.

Set in Yucatán, Mexico, around the year 1502, *Apocalypto* portrays the hero's journey of a young man named Jaguar Paw, a late Mesoamerican hunter and his fellow tribesmen who are captured by an invading force. After the devastation of their village, they are brought on a perilous journey to a Mayan city for human sacrifice at a time when the Mayan civilization is in decline. The film was a box office success, grossing over $120 million worldwide, and received mostly positive reviews, with critics praising Gibson's direction, Dean Semler's cinematography, and the performances of the cast, though the portrayal of Mayan civilization and historical accuracy were criticized. The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures under Lionsgate.

## Plot

While hunting in the Mesoamerican rainforest, Jaguar Paw, his father Flint Sky, and their fellow tribesmen encounter a contingent of fleeing refugees, and the group's leader explains that their lands were ravaged and asks for permission to pass through the jungle. Flint Sky notes that the refugees were sick with fear and urges Jaguar Paw to never allow fear to infect him. Later that night, the tribe gathers around an elder who tells a prophetic story about a being who is consumed by an emptiness that cannot be satisfied, despite having all the gifts of the world offered to him, and who will continue blindly taking until there is nothing left in the world for him to take, and the world is no more.

The next morning, the village is attacked by Raiders led by Zero Wolf; huts are set on fire, many villagers are killed, and the surviving adults are taken prisoner. During the attack, Jaguar Paw lowers his pregnant wife Seven and their young son Turtles Run into a cenote. Returning to the fight, Jaguar Paw nearly kills the sadistic Raider named Middle Eye, but is eventually captured. When Middle Eye realizes that Flint Sky is Jaguar Paw's father, he kills Flint Sky and mockingly renames Jaguar Paw "Almost". The Raiders tie the captives together and set out on a long forced march through the jungle, leaving the children behind to fend for themselves. The refugees from earlier are also shown to have been taken captive. Meanwhile, Seven and Turtles Run remain trapped in the well after a suspicious Raider severs the vine leading out of it.

As the party approaches the Raiders' Mayan city, they encounter razed forests and vast fields of failed maize crops, alongside villages decimated by an unknown disease. They then pass a little girl infected with the plague who prophesies the end of the Mayan world. Once the Raiders and captives reach the city, the females are sold into slavery while the males are escorted to the top of a step pyramid to be sacrificed before the Mayan king and queen.

Two captives are sacrificed, their still beating hearts torn from their chests. But as Jaguar Paw is laid out on the altar, a solar eclipse gives the high priest pause, and the Mayans take the event as an omen that the gods are satisfied and conclude the ceremony, sparing the remaining captives.

The remaining captives are then taken by the Raiders to be used as target practice and offered freedom if they can run to safety. The first pair of captives to attempt the run across the arena are struck down. Jaguar Paw suffers an arrow wound, but escapes into the jungle, killing Zero Wolf's son Cut Rock in the process. Zero Wolf and Middle Eye take their men to chase after him. Reflecting on this, he remembers his father's lesson about fear and resolves to kill his pursuers with the resources the jungle provides him. He dares the nine Raiders to challenge him, and they die one by one. One Raider is killed by a jaguar; a second by a venomous snake; a third killed by Zero Wolf himself for cowardice; a fourth drowns after crushing his skull against a rock; Fleeing back into the jungle, Jaguar Paw nearly sinks in quicksand, but very calmly escapes. The fifth is shot by Jaguar Paw with poisoned darts. Jaguar Paw then kills Middle Eye with a stone hatchet, before leading Zero Wolf into a trap where he is impaled by a large wooden spike. The last two Raiders continue to pursue Jaguar Paw further into the jungle.

Later, heavy rain begins to fall, threatening to drown Jaguar Paw's family, who are still trapped in the pit. Seven gives birth to another son, who is born under the surface of the dangerously rising water. Meanwhile, the two remaining Raiders chase Jaguar Paw towards the coast, where all three are astonished at the sight of Spanish conquistadors making their way to the shore. As the two Raiders are confounded by the Spanish ships and begin walking towards the coast, Jaguar Paw uses the distraction to flee and return to his village. Jaguar Paw returns just in time to save his family from the flooding pit, and is overjoyed at the sight of his newborn son.

Later, the reunited family looks out over the water at the Spanish ships. Jaguar Paw decides not to approach the strangers, and they depart, returning to the jungle to seek a new beginning away from the Mayan Raiders and the new strangers.

## Cast

**The Village**

* Rudy Youngblood as Jaguar Paw / Almost
* Dalia Hernández as Seven
* Jonathan Brewer as Blunted
* Morris Birdyellowhead as Flint Sky
* Carlos Emilio Báez as Turtles Run
* Amílcar Ramírez as Curl Nose
* Israel Contreras as Smoke Frog
* Israel Ríos as Cocoa Leaf
* María Isabel Díaz as Mother in Law
* Espiridion Acosta Cache as Old Story Teller
* Mayra Serbulo as Young Woman

**The Holcane Warriors**

* Raoul Trujillo as Zero Wolf
* Gerardo Taracena as Middle Eye
* Rodolfo Palacios as Snake Ink
* Ariel Galván as Hanging Moss
* Bernardo Ruiz Juárez as Drunkards Four
* Ricardo Díaz Mendoza as Cut Rock

**The City**

* Fernando Hernández as High Priest
* María Isidra Hoil as Oracle Girl
* Aquetzali García as Oracle Girl
* Abel Woolrich as Laughing Man
* Rafael Vélez as King
* Diana Botello as Queen