Apocalypto

"A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within." — This is the opening quote to Mel Gibson's Apocalypto.

The film has very little to do with this quote.

I enjoyed this film, but left the cinema feeling unfulfilled for some reason.

The first 30 minutes of the film were great - there was lots of humour as the tribe were introduced - then the (thin) plot had to start.

Eventually, this becomes a chase movie - a good one, but just a chase movie - where a forest hunter named Jaguar Paw must escape to save his wife and son.

My major concern was that rather then showing the Maya as a great civilisation, they were portrayed as little more than savages - not exactly showing the great civilisation mentioned in the opening quote.

Anyway, obviously ignoring the fact that Jaguar Paw was indestructible the film as it was was fun. I just wish it had a little more to it - a film about the Spaniards arriving would be interesting. I am very impressed that it was subtitled when so many films in the past have been in American English. Its just a shame that this intelligent (and shockingly non-patronising) move was used in an action film.

Still, it wasn't bad. It had black jaguars in it. And they didn't turn into Michael Jackson.

On a scale of tabby cat to black panther this film gets a rating of tired cheetah - 6/10