As the foundation of the Mayan civilization begins to crumble, one mans previously idyllic existence is forever changed when he is chosen as the sacrifice needed to appease the gods in director Mel Gibsons mythic, end-times adventure. The Mayan kingdom is at the absolute height of opulence and power, but leaders are convinced that unless more temples are constructed and more human sacrifices made, the crops, and ultimately the people, will suffer. When Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood) is chosen as the sacrifice that the gods have demanded, he rails against his grim fate by attempting to navigate a horrific new world of fear and oppression. Now determined to save his family and escape a harrowing demise, Jaguar Paw prepares to risk it all in one desperate, final attempt to preserve his dying way of life. Inspired by such ancient Mayan texts as the Popul Vuh, Apocalypto marks a comprehensive collaboration between director Gibson, Cambridge-educated screenwriter Farhad Safinia, and world-renowned archeologist and Mayan culture expert Dr. Richard D. Hansen -- whose services as a special consultant on the film lent the production an unprecedented degree of historical accuracy. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide