This most recent directorial effort from the iconic actor takes us back to the 16th century to somewhere deep in the Central American jungle. Jaguar Paw, a warrior from a tribe living in harmony with his surroundings, is captured by the ruthless Maya. Chained and bound, he is taken on a grueling journey to a decadent metropolis where only cruelty awaits. His struggle for freedom is only beginning.… Mel Gibson followed up on his controversial The Passion of the Christ with another epic drama, filmed with an ambitious level of authenticity, not just in its consistent use of the Yucatec Maya language but also in its bold depiction of the utter brutality of the era. "A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within,” states the opening quote by Will Durant, thus presenting the moral questions contained within the film’s raw narrative. The story is set against the backdrop of the mysterious decline of the expansionist Maya, who fell under the weight of their own pride and insatiability.