Primitive I.

This is coolbert:

Here with another movie review.

The movie being reviewed is "Apocalypto". Produced and directed by Mel Gibson.

I rate this movie as an unqualified OUTSTANDING! A MUST see.

An interesting story, well acted, action-packed, continuously moving, with a surprise and very plausible ending.

"Apocalypto is a 2006 film directed by Mel Gibson. Set in Yucatan, Mexico, during the declining period of the Mayan civilization, Apocalypto depicts the journey of a Mesoamerican tribesman who must escape human sacrifice and rescue his family after the capture and destruction of his village."


Deals with the Mayan and their high culture, as existed before the first contact with the Spanish. "Apocalypto" has an excellent depiction of warfare generally described as "primitive".

["high" culture ordinarily consists of an ability to write, do mathematics, observe, discern and predict the movements of the planets, moon and sun, organize on a grand scale! WRITE! ]

A culture, ancient, stratified, having a caste structure, consisting of:

* Rulers and nobility.
* Priests.
* A warrior elite.
* Peasants.
* Slaves.

A culture, again, labeled primitive, waging war primarily for the purpose of:

* Obtaining slaves and prisoners-of-war [POW].
* Settling of blood feuds [vendettas].
* Bride snatching.
* Cattle rustling. [in the Indo-European tradition.]

A culture waging war in large measure to obtain POW to be offered as human sacrifice to propitiate the god or gods. Blood-letting on a major scale in the AFTERMATH OF BATTLEFIELD CONFLICT!

The Mayan in particular made extensive use of human sacrifice, bloodletting to propitiate the main god, Kulkukan an essential aspect of Mayan life. A MAIN SOURCE OF HUMAN SACRIFICE BEING POW CAPTURED IN BATTLE!

The Mayan having a highly developed and most proficient caste of warriors. Dedicated warriors - - a basic and important part of the culture, trained to possess a high degree of skill, employing in battle a variety of weaponry. Weapons to include:

* Bow and arrow. [flint tipped arrows.]
* Spears. [flint tipped, the throwing of which was aided by the use of the atlatl]
* Sling.
* War club.
* Flint knife.
* macahuitl [a war club studded with pieces of flint].

Comments:

* Those flint and flint tipped weapons have an edge sharper than a surgeons scalpel. The head of a horse could be taken off with a single swing of the macahuitl.
* That sling "flung" not merely a "pebble" the size of a human kidney but a small boulder.
* The macahuitl refers to the Aztec name for the war club studded with flints. I am not sure if the Mayan called this weapon by the same name?
* The atlatl, the throwing "stick", allowed for a spear to be thrown a long distance with surprising force and accuracy.

We must understand that the Mayan did engage in "warrior" type of combat, melee'-type battles, close-quarters fighting, NOT using combined arms, defeating an opponent in single-combat being relished!! NO beasts of burden to carry the Mayan into battle either.

Mel Gibson, as with Clint Eastwood, is one of the all-time cinematic greats? Act, direct, produce, touches material no one else will go near, etc. This movie is indicative of such talent - - no flaw in "Apocalypto" being discernible to me!

coolbert.