Apocalypto

I went to see Mel Gibson's Apocalypto this afternoon.

Considering the fact that this movie chronicled the fall of the Mayan Empire, and based on Gibson's previous films, I was aware that this one would be violent -- graphically so. There's a lot of blood, make no mistake. Lots and lots of it, so this one is not for the faint-hearted. Then again, if you've seen Braveheart and The Passion of the Christ, then you should know what to expect.

The Good: This movie is visually stunning. The beauty of the vistas is at times breathtaking. The entire environment, the costumes, the battle scenes, the action -- everything is spectacular. The talented James Horner scores this one. And although this soundtrack is nowhere near as good as what he came up with for Braveheart, it still creates a wonderful musical backdrop for this film.

The Bad: The plot, or lack thereof. If you're going to see this one hoping for fascinating characters and storylines, then perhaps you should reconsider. In a nutshell: Jaguard Paw learns of a mysterious menace; Jaguar Paw gets captured; Jaguar Paw escapes; Jaguar Paw tries to get even. Pretty linear, and at times quite predictable.

Apocalypto is not a bad movie, but it certainly isn't something to write home about. Still, a nice way to kill a few hours one Sunday afternoon. And it's the sort of flick one needs to see on the big screen, so don't wait for this one to be released on DVD. Unless you have a killer home theater system, of course.

If you're in the mood for some action, blood, gore, and gorgeous scenery, Apocalypto should be worth the entre fee. If you're not, you might want to stick with Night at the Museum!