Apocalypto

Mel Gibson the walking tabloid headline has become a poor ambassador for Mel Gibson the filmmaker. If he could hold his tongue (or at least his alcohol), Hollywood might be more willing to celebrate "Apocalypto" as the remarkable film it is: an intense, thrilling, primal survival adventure. Set in the wild jungle and pyramid-dominated capital of the pre-Colombian Mayan Empire, you could call it a 15th-century "Naked Prey" with a reverse dynamic. Here, the captured victims are a peaceful tribe living in harmony with the jungle, while the vicious captors are the brutal soldiers of decadent rulers appeasing the people with sacrifices and slaves. Gibson gently eases our way into this world before unleashing the soldiers and launching the riveting dash for our hero's freedom. From the moment Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood) makes his escape with a platoon of shock-troop hunters in hot pursuit, the tension never lets up, and neither does the violence. It's a complete immersion into this vivid world, and Gibson pulls out all stops to create a dazzling spectacle -- a gripping, adrenaline-pounding, old-fashioned adventure epic with modern tools and a craftsman's eye for image, drama and primal emotion. Also available in a Blu-ray edition.

Because Mel Gibson's commentary tends toward facetious remarks and jokey asides, he's lucky to have had co-writer/co-producer Farhad Safinia on hand to steer the commentary back on track. Even so, it's a slim commentary. The 25-minute featurette "Becoming Mayan: Making Apocalypto," a swift overview of the production from sets ("Everything you see there in the film was built for us," the set designer explains) to costume and makeup to the overall design and color, is far more informative and better served by Gibson, whose final words sum up the film much better than his commentary: "It has this beautiful aesthetic, it looks beautiful on film, and it just fills you with wonder." Also includes a deleted scene with optional commentary.