Apocalypto 2006 American epic adventure film

Apocalypto is a 2006 American epic adventure film directed and produced by Mel Gibson. It was written by Gibson and Farhad Safinia. The film features a cast of Maya and Native American actors consisting of Rudy Youngblood,Raoul Trujillo, Mayra Sérbulo, Dalia Hernández, Ian Uriel, Gerardo Taracena, Rodolfo Palacios, Bernardo Ruiz Juarez, Ammel Rodrigo Mendoza, Ricardo Diaz Mendoza, and Israel Contreras. Similar to Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, the entire dialogue is in the Yucatec Maya language, with English and other language subtitles, in order to give an air of authenticity.

Set in pre-Columbian Petén, Guatemala, around the year 1511, Apocalyptodepicts the journey of a Mesoamerican tribesman who must escape human sacrifice and rescue his family after the capture and destruction of his village at a time when the Mayan civilization is about to come to an end.

While hunting in the Mesoamerican rainforest, Jaguar Paw/Paksiw (Rudy Youngblood), his father Flint Sky (Morris Birdyellowhead), and their fellow tribesmen encounter a procession of refugees fleeing warfare. The group's leader explains that their lands were ravaged and they seek a new beginning. He asks for permission to pass through the jungle. Flint Sky comments to his son that the visitors were sick with fear, and urges him to never allow fear to infect him.

At dawn the next morning the tribe's village is raided by a group led by Zero Wolf (Raoul Trujillo). Huts are set on fire, many villagers are killed, including Flint Sky, and the rest of the adults are taken captive. Jaguar Paw's heavily pregnant wife Seven (Dalia Hernández) and their young son Turtle's Run (Carlos Emilio Báez) escape by hiding in a small natural pit cavethat also serves as a water reservoir, but are left trapped when Jaguar Paw is captured. The raiders then lead the captives on a long forced march through the jungle, having left the children behind to fend for themselves.

On the journey Cocoa Leaf (Israel Ríos), a badly wounded captive, is killed by the sadistic Middle Eye, eliciting anger from Zero Wolf, who threatens his fellow raider with death if he kills another captive without permission. As the party approach the Mayan city they encounter razed forests and failed maize crops, along with villages decimated by an unknown disease. A little girl (María Isidra Hoil) infected with the illness prophesies Zero Wolf's death and the end of the Mayan world. Once the raiders and captives reach the city the females are sold as slaves while the males are escorted to the top of a step pyramid to be sacrificed before the Mayan King (Rafael Velez) and Queen (Diana Botello).

As a result of a solar eclipse and the superstitions surrounding it, Jaguar Paw and the remaining captives are spared from being sacrificed by beheading. Instead, they are ordered to be taken away and "disposed of." They are offered freedom if they can avoid being killed during target practice by Zero Wolf and his men. After some tribesmen are killed, Jaguar Paw is severely injured but kills Zero Wolf's son Cut Rock (Ricardo Díaz Mendoza) and escapes into the jungle. Zero Wolf sets off with eight comrades to chase down and kill Jaguar Paw. Back in his native jungle Jaguar Paw now has the advantage, although badly injured. Most of his pursuers are gradually killed until there are only two left to hunt Jaguar Paw.

The drought breaks and heavy rain begins to fall, threatening to drown Jaguar Paw's family who are still trapped in the pit cave. At this time Seven gives birth to another son. Meanwhile, the two remaining raiders chase Jaguar Paw out of the undergrowth towards the coast. As they reach the beach, all three see conquistador ships anchored off the coast andChristian Europeans making their way ashore. Jaguar Paw escapes while the two raiders remain seemingly mesmerized at the conquistadors' presence. Jaguar Paw returns in time to save his family from the flooded pit.

Sometime later as the reunited family look out over the water at the Spanish ships, Jaguar Paw has to decide whether to risk approaching the conquistadors or try to return to their traditional lifestyle.

Cast

Rudy Youngblood as Jaguar Paw
Dalia Hernandez as Seven
Itandehui Gutierrez as Wife
Jonathan Brewer as Blunted
Mayra Serbulo as Young Woman
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
Iazúa Laríos as Sky Flower
Raoul Trujillo as Zero Wolf
Gerardo Taracena as Middle Eye
Rodolfo Palacios as Snake Ink
Ariel Galván as Hanging Moss
Fernando Hernandez as High Priest
Rafael Velez as Mayan King
Diana Botello as Mayan Queen
Bernardo Ruiz as Drunkards Four
Ricardo Díaz Mendoza as Cut Rock
Richard Can as Ten Peccary
Carlos Ramos as Monkey Jaw
Ammel Rodrigo Mendoza as Buzzard Hook
Marco Antonio Argueta as Speaking Wind
Aquetzali García as Oracle boy
Gabriela Marambio as Close-Up Mayan Girl
María Isidra Hoil as Sick Oracle Girl
Abel Woolrich as Laughing man