"Apocalypto" *** (out of four): Don't be fooled by the setting, this is a solid action film set in a rarely-seen past from a man who knows more about directing his films than his private life.

Ignoring Mr. Gibson’s recent publicity debacles for a moment, the former Mad Max is, at his core, a skilled filmmaker. “Braveheart”, of course, is his reigning masterpiece. But “The Passion of the Christ” for all its hype and derision was undeniably well made. Mr. Gibson’s latest potential debacle is “Apocalypto” (I know, the title itself is tough to take) and not surprisingly it’s another dark, well-filmed, thriller set in the past, with good performances and an epic scope. To be sure, the film has its flaws: it is violent, the ending is silly and, well, it’s called “Apocalypto”. But as exotic as it might seem, “Apocalypto” is really just an action movie set in the rarely-seen Mayan culture. It’s “Braveheart” or “The Road Warrior” without the kilts and, well, roads.

Read More on BigPictureBigSound...