365days365films

Basic Info / 基本情報

Synopsis / あらすじ

[English] (Short Synopsis) In the waning days of the Maya civilization, Jaguar Paw, a skilled hunter from a peaceful forest tribe, is captured by raiders from a decaying city to be used as a human sacrifice. After a twist of fate allows him to escape the altar, he initiates a desperate, high-stakes flight to return to his hidden, pregnant wife and son. Within the familiar depths of the jungle, Jaguar Paw ceases to be the “prey” and fully embraces his identity as a lethal predator, utilizing the ancient forest wisdom passed down by his father to outmaneuver his pursuers. It is a raw, relentless odyssey that pits the primal survival instincts of a man against the madness of a collapsing empire.

[日本語]（簡潔なあらすじ） マヤ文明の黄昏時。平穏な森の民であり、優れた狩人でもあるジャガー・パウは、衰退する都市の戦士たちに捕らわれ、人身御供として祭壇に送られます。死の淵で脱出の機を得た彼は、隠し穴に残してきた身重の妻と息子の元へ帰るため、命がけの逃走を開始します。慣れ親しんだジャングルの深部で、彼はもはや「追われる獲物」ではなく、父から受け継いだ森の知恵を駆使する「冷酷な捕食者」へと覚醒し、追跡者たちを一人ずつ迎え撃ちます。崩壊する帝国の狂気と、家族を想う男の剥き出しの生存本能が激突する、圧倒的な生命の物語です。

Cast & Crew / スタッフ・出演

Additional Information / 追加情報

Awards / 受賞歴

• 79th Academy Awards (2007) – 3 nominations:
  • Best Sound Editing – nomination (Kami Asgar, Sean McCormack)
  • Best Sound Mixing – nomination (Kevin O’Connell, Greg P. Russell, Fernando Cámara)
  • Best Makeup – nomination (Aldo Signoretti, Vittorio Sodano)
• 64th Golden Globe Awards (2007) – 1 nomination:
  • Best Foreign Language Film – nomination
  • Controversial: Film is American production but dialogue in Yucatec Maya qualified it
• 13th Screen Actors Guild Awards (2007) – 1 nomination:
  • Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture – nomination
• 33rd Saturn Awards (2007) – 3 nominations, 1 win:
  • Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film – WON
  • Best Director – nomination (Mel Gibson)
  • Best Writing – nomination (Mel Gibson, Farhad Safinia)
• BAFTA Awards (2007) – No nominations:
  • Considered major snub for cinematography, sound, makeup
• American Society of Cinematographers (2007) – 1 nomination:
  • Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases – nomination (Dean Semler)
• Motion Picture Sound Editors (Golden Reel Awards, 2007) – 1 win:
  • Best Sound Editing in a Feature Film – WON
• Visual Effects Society Awards (2007) – 1 nomination:
  • Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Motion Picture – nomination
• Satellite Awards (2006) – 3 nominations:
  • Best Film Editing – nomination
  • Best Sound – nomination
  • Best Visual Effects – nomination

Critical Reception / 批評的評価

• Rotten Tomatoes: 65% (Critics), 80% (Audience)
• Metacritic: 68/100 (Generally Favorable Reviews)
• IMDb: 7.8/10
• Eiga.com (映画.com): 3.6/5
• Praised for visceral, intense action sequences
• Dean Semler’s cinematography universally acclaimed
• Criticized for historical inaccuracies (mixing Maya periods, exaggerating human sacrifice)
• Some called film “torture porn,” excessively violent
• Praised for authenticity: entire dialogue in Yucatec Maya, indigenous cast
• James Horner’s score highlighted
• Criticized as “simplistic,” “noble savage” trope
• Some scholars called depiction of Maya civilization offensive
• Praised by others for unflinching depiction of civilizational collapse
• Roger Ebert: ★★★½ “A remarkable film”
• The New York Times: “A lurid and chaotic spectacle”
• Variety: “A senses-shattering return to form for Gibson”
• The Guardian: ★★★ “Impressive but problematic”
• Mel Gibson’s antisemitic remarks (2006 DUI arrest) overshadowed release
• Some boycotted film due to Gibson’s personal controversies
• Maya scholars divided: some praised research, others criticized inaccuracies

Box Office Performance / 興行成績

• Worldwide Total: $120.7 million
• Domestic (US/Canada): $50.9 million
• International: $69.8 million
  • Mexico: $15.5 million (highest international territory, culturally relevant)
  • Italy: $7.8 million
  • Spain: $7.2 million
  • Germany: $6.9 million
  • France: $6.1 million
  • UK: $5.8 million
  • Australia: $4.9 million
• Production Budget: $40 million
• Return on Investment: 3.02x (profitable but modest)
• Opening Weekend (US):
  • Released December 8, 2006 in 2,465 theaters
  • $15.0 million opening weekend
  • #2 at domestic box office (behind The Holiday)
  • $6,085 per-theater average
• Longevity:
  • Theatrical run: 14 weeks
  • Strong word-of-mouth sustained box office
  • Dropped quickly due to holiday competition (Night at the Museum, The Pursuit of Happyness, Dreamgirls)
• Performance Analysis:
  • Gibson’s controversies (antisemitic remarks, July 2006) hurt box office
  • Boycotts organized by some Jewish groups, liberal activists
  • R-rating (extreme violence) limited audience
  • Subtitled film (Yucatec Maya dialogue) deterred mainstream audiences
  • No major stars (unknown indigenous cast)
  • Dark, violent content vs. holiday season feel-good films
  • Still profitable: $120.7M vs. $40M budget
• Domestic Performance:
  • Opened strong ($15M), dropped sharply Week 2 (-55%)
  • Legs hurt by holiday competition
  • Controversy dampened attendance
  • Urban markets stronger (NYC, LA, Chicago)
  • Rural/conservative markets weaker (Gibson backlash)
• International Performance:
  • Mexico: Cultural connection drove strong performance ($15.5M)
  • Latin America generally strong
  • Europe solid but not spectacular
  • Asia minimal release
• Comparison to Gibson’s Directorial Work:
  • Braveheart (1995): $210M worldwide (his biggest hit as director)
  • The Passion of the Christ (2004): $612M worldwide (phenomenon)
  • Apocalypto (2006): $120.7M worldwide (significant drop)
  • Gibson’s personal controversies major factor in decline
• Controversy Impact:
  • July 28, 2006: Gibson arrested for DUI, antisemitic remarks to officer
  • Audio leaked, massive media coverage
  • Apocalypto release: December 8, 2006 (5 months later)
  • Boycotts organized
  • Disney (distributor) distanced itself from Gibson
  • Some theaters refused to screen film
  • Gibson’s A-list status permanently damaged
• Awards Season:
  • 3 Oscar nominations (Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Makeup)
  • No wins
  • Golden Globe nomination (Best Foreign Language Film – controversial)
  • Limited awards campaign due to Gibson’s toxicity
  • Academy largely snubbed film (no Director, Cinematography nods)
• Critical Divide:
  • 65% Rotten Tomatoes (mixed reviews)
  • Some called masterpiece, others exploitation film
  • Historical accuracy debates dominated discourse
  • Violence level criticized as excessive, gratuitous
  • Praised for technical craftsmanship, action filmmaking
• Cultural Impact:
  • Revived interest in Maya civilization
  • Tourism to Maya sites (Chichen Itza, Tikal) increased
  • Yucatec Maya language preservation efforts gained attention
  • Indigenous actors gained recognition
  • Debate about Hollywood depicting non-Western civilizations
• Historical Accuracy Debates:
  • Maya scholars criticized anachronisms:
    • Film set in 1511 (Spanish arrival), but depicts Classic Maya architecture (600-900 AD)
    • Human sacrifice scale exaggerated
    • City-state collapse misrepresented (occurred centuries earlier)
  • Gibson defended: “Artistic license,” “Thematic accuracy over literal accuracy”
  • Some scholars appreciated bringing Maya civilization to mainstream
  • Controversy overshadowed historical discussion
• Language Achievement:
  • Entire dialogue in Yucatec Maya (rare for Hollywood)
  • Indigenous cast (mostly non-actors)
  • Linguists consulted for authenticity
  • Subtitled film in major release (risky)
  • Praised for linguistic authenticity
  • Criticized: Modern Yucatec Maya ≠ Classic Maya language
• Visual Effects & Cinematography:
  • Dean Semler (cinematographer): Lush, visceral jungle photography
  • Practical effects prioritized over CGI
  • Real locations (Mexico: Veracruz, Tabasco, Catemaco)
  • City pyramid built as large-scale set
  • Minimal CGI (blood digitally enhanced)
  • Cinematography ASC nomination
• Action Sequences:
  • Chase sequence (final 40 minutes) acclaimed
  • Influenced later films (The Revenant, Mad Max: Fury Road)
  • Practical stunts, real danger
  • Waterfall jump stunt (practical, not CGI)
  • Jaguar attack scene (real jaguar, stuntman)
• James Horner Score:
  • Horner’s 3rd collaboration with Gibson (Braveheart, The Man Without a Face)
  • Percussion-heavy, primal score
  • Limited melodic themes (intentional)
  • Horner died 2015 (plane crash), Apocalypto among his best scores
• Gibson’s Directorial Vision:
  • Braveheart (1995): Scottish independence, martyrdom
  • The Passion of the Christ (2004): Jesus’s suffering, sacrifice
  • Apocalypto (2006): Civilizational collapse, survival
  • Recurring themes: Sacrifice, violence, faith, empires’ fall
  • Gibson’s Catholicism influences apocalyptic worldview
• Ending Interpretation:
  • Spanish conquistadors arrive on beach (final scene)
  • Jaguar Paw sees ships, returns to jungle
  • Interpretation 1: Saved from Maya collapse, but Spanish genocide awaits
  • Interpretation 2: Both civilizations doomed, cycle of violence continues
  • Interpretation 3: Family/small-scale humanity outlasts empires
  • Gibson: “Civilizations rise and fall, but human connection endures”
• Legacy:
  • Underseen due to Gibson controversies
  • Reassessed by critics over time
  • Influenced action filmmaking (long chase sequences)
  • Debate about separating art from artist
  • Streaming era introduced new audiences
  • Considered flawed but impressive technical achievement
• Home Media:
  • DVD/Blu-ray released April 10, 2007
  • Strong rental/sales despite theatrical controversies
  • Director’s commentary, making-of documentaries
  • Became cult classic on home video
• Streaming Era:
  • Available on Disney+, Amazon Prime, others
  • New audiences discovered film without Gibson controversy context
  • TikTok/social media clips of chase scenes went viral
  • Reassessed as visceral action masterpiece by some
• Gibson’s Career Post-Apocalypto:
  • Directorial hiatus until Hacksaw Ridge (2016) – 10 years
  • Hacksaw Ridge: Oscar success, Gibson’s comeback
  • Acting roles diminished (toxicity in Hollywood)
  • Apocalypto: Last major studio release before exile

Related Review / 関連レビュー

🔗 English Review
・[International Mother Language Day] When Empires Fall—Gibson’s Vision in a Vanishing Tongue

🔗 日本語レビュー
・【国際母語デー】帝国が崩壊するとき——消えゆく言語で語られるギブソンのビジョン