[Bucho]

Apocalypto is a stunning re-creation of life in the ancient Mayan world, in which the savagery is built-in and the belief is that human sacrifice will bring redemption, and that what does not kill a man will make him stronger. The attention to detail in the language (Yucatec Maya), the staging and the settings, both re-created (the pyramid) and found (the waterfall), is breathtaking—during certain moments, it's as if Gibson had turned an undiscovered corner deep in the jungle and found the ancient world alive and well. Many pictures today don't go into troubling areas like this, the importance of violence in the perpetuation of what's known as civilization. I admire Apocalypto for its frankness, but also for the power and artistry of the filmmaking. - Martin Scorsese.