Hax very few modern historians dismiss the Carthaginian Child Sacrifices, they are actually confirmed by archaeology with the ancient literary sources. The few modern historians who do tend to either have a moralist agenda against what they percieve as pro-Roman bias (Terry Jones), or a nationalist agenda, but most accept the findings of archaeology and historical text. That doesn't paint nearly as bleak a picture as you think, Human Sacrifice doesn't automatically mean the massive large scale hate producing sacrifices of the Aztecs.

Quote Originally Posted by Badass Buddha View Post
We're not talking about the Aztecs. If Gibson wants to present the Aztecs as a violent, bloodthirsty society, I'd have nothing to say, because they were, sacrificing people in the tens of thousands, but the Maya only practiced human sacrifice on a scale similar to the Celts and Carthaginians.
Agreed. Unfortunately I never managed to sit through Apoc, I know people who have, but I will take your word for it, especially since it is Mel Gibson.


Quote Originally Posted by antisocialmunky View Post
That's true, I kinda lumped Star Trek in there for being similar in genre where its more of a ethnocentric view. In fact I think its more about ethnocentrism than anything like explicit racism now that I think about it. Its more about how Western Style culture and values is always the answer to problems. Sometimes it embodies itself into some sort of afformentioned 'White Savior' thing while other times like in Star Trek, a idealized Western Society cruises around space fixing everyone's problems. Granted that its not necessarily negative or offensive, its just somewhat arrogant. :-p

In fact most films like these just come off appearing a little arrogant in depicting the presence of westerners. If they were in fact explicitly racist well people would be up in arms.

I do likes the Star Trek though. Not really a TOS fan, just a TNG era minus Voyager fan.
I would say Start Trek's (original anyway) references are blatant enough to just be amusing (i.e. making Clingons (sp) the Soviet Union, and the Federation the West).

I also agree with you on more then I originally thought, I just initially noticed you putting Start Trek together with the Last Samurai.

Interestingly enough, while Westerners going into/joining other cultures is celebrated Hollywood ironically seems to have turned on Western Societies. Rome is usually depicted as extremely cruel, sadistic, misogynistic, evil, greedy and all other imperial vices without any real virtues. This could also just be a continuation of the Roman Vices tradition.