Overview
A gripping tale of survival against the backdrop of a brutal civilization's decline.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- visceral
- foreboding
- relentless
- intense movie night
- historical epic marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's extraordinary visual craft and kinetic survival storytelling while finding its historical and violent depiction merciless and sometimes troubling.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jaguar Paw flees his captors through dense forest while trying to return to his hidden family.
The Maya city’s political and religious order is shown through slave raids, warfare, and human sacrifice.
The characters speak Yucatec Maya throughout, while the film foregrounds Maya social rituals, clothing, architecture, and belief systems.
Long chases through forest, ravines, mud, and open terrain make the physical environment central to the action.
Films like Apocalypto, and why
The Revenant
shared historical setting, relentless pursuit, brutal violence, and survival-driven action
The Last of the Mohicans
shared historical drama framework, visceral combat, and culturally specific world-building
300
shared premodern warfare, graphic violence, and visually immersive historical spectacle
Quest for Fire
shared themes of captivity, sacrifice, and escape through hostile wilderness
Movie Details
- Director
- Mel Gibson
- Release Date
- 2006-12-07
- Runtime
- 138 min
- Rating
- 7.7 / 10 (6694)
Cast
- Rudy Youngblood
- Raoul Max Trujillo
- Gerardo Taracena
- Iazua Larios
- Antonio Monroy
- María Isabel Díaz Lago
- Dalia Hernández
- Jonathan Brewer
- Morris Birdyellowhead
- Carlos Emilio Báez
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Apocalypto about?
- A hunted Maya tribesman races through a violent world of enslavement and sacrifice to rescue his family.
- What is Apocalypto like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Apocalypto as breakneck, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Apocalypto violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Apocalypto as graphic.
- What did critics think of Apocalypto?
- Critics broadly praised the film's extraordinary visual craft and kinetic survival storytelling while finding its historical and violent depiction merciless and sometimes troubling.
- Which films are like Apocalypto?
- Films with a similar feel include The Revenant, The Last of the Mohicans, 300, and Quest for Fire.
- How long is Apocalypto?
- Apocalypto runs 138 minutes.
- Where can I watch Apocalypto?
- In United States, Apocalypto streams on Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus.
