Movie Motivation Month continues with another man running for his life film. As there are obvious parallels to my own perilous and life-threatening weeks of training, I feel these films are suitably motivational. Apocalypto was directed by Mel Gibson, so there’s that disclaimer. As for the movie, the hero Jaguar Paw, a mesoamerican tribesman, is captured by Mayan warriors for the purpose of human sacrifice. In other words, he’s properly motivated to run fast and escape. The Mayans aren’t doing very well, you see, and they need to kill peaceful tribesmen to appease their deities who in turn will end the plague and allow the crops grow. Jaguar Paw manages to hide his wife and awesomely named son Turtles Run before he is tribesman-napped and marched off chain gang style to certain death. Or not so certain death. I won’t ruin it for you.
My vague recollection of Mayan civilization is that is was chocolate loving, maize growing, scientifically advanced, and peaceful*. Mel Gibson and his bloodbath do not agree. I will say that few self-proclaimed epic movies with subtitles manage to hold my attention and I attended to at least 33% of this movie. I always enjoy a good foot chase scene (or twelve good foot chases scenes). There is a lot of death and destruction and running around the jungle, so if you are into violence and all night trail running this movie might inspire you to run or to trail run or to run faster or to kill, depending on your leanings.
* My vague recollection may have been formed while watching Disney’s The Road to El Dorado.
Title: It’s the name of the move. Not a song.
My Running Shorts 
“I will say that few self-proclaimed epic movies with subtitles manage to hold my attention and I attended to at least 33% of this movie.”
Totally agree. I’m even less likely to pay attention if I’m watching with someone else (okay, my husband). I’m not sure why, but I think subconsciously my brain’s like, “Whew, someone else is paying attention so I don’t have to! He can totally fill me in later for the recap that I might have to offer to ‘prove’ I watched it.”
So, does your 33% necessarily mean the first 33%, or just a third of the movie overall?
A third overall. I wander away and return, mentally and physically.
And I ask Husband to fill me in on what I missed. Yes, I’m that annoying person. Never watch a movie with me.
I was always told by my super indigenous/red road walking friends that the Mayans nor the Aztecs (Mexica) were violent cultures, at least as they’re made out to be in history books. They said the Mexica never practiced human sacrifice.
I don’t know. I’ve never seen Apocalypto, probably because of my squeamishness for gory movies and Mel Gibson.
It is the kind of movie that makes you wonder about the mental state of the director.