Apocalypto

I hate the way that lately I only get jacked up enough to write on minortriad when I've had a proper injection of hot-cinema-beef. Well, that's precisely what this was. See this movie, it's beautiful and snappy enough to suppress even the most deep-seeded of anthropological/archaeological criticisms from coming to mind until well after the 139 minutes of digital glory have played out.

Even juicier than his cinematic craft, is Mel's overall message. Civilization is ultimately destroyed by the duping of the masses by the powers that be (in this case Mayan priests). This film is no cop-out to some kind of universalized Christian morality whose corruption and violation spells disaster. In this vision of Mayan civilization, the great accomplishments of mathematics, astronomy, technology, and art become the carrots to keep the donkeys marching on through a field of slavery and carnage toward a smallpox-infected future. Viewed in light of the historical liberties taken in producing such a vision, Mel's message seems not to be aimed at the Maya in the least, and clearly enough aimed at the "powers" which pull the strings of the Western global hegemony. Apocalypto:Mel Gibson::Loose Change:Alex Jones... and I feel oddly delighted about that.