MovieChat Forums > The Ruins (2008) Discussion > part I can't believe (spoilers)

part I can't believe (spoilers)

posted 14 years ago by lakealice
12 replies | jump to latest

Why didn't the Mayans tell authorities on the outside about the vine to get help in eradicating it or keeping people away from it? They obviously had contact with the outside world, since they wore "regular" clothes and had guns, etc. There are people on the outside who know the Mayan language, and Mayans are not extinct--their descendants live in Mexico. This was probably supposed to be located in the Yucatan, where the resorts and ruins are. The village was even on a map--therefore, I can't believe noone on the outside was told or heard about this deadly vine.

[–] emiller-5 14 years ago

I think that over time the EvilPlant and the villagers have come to some odd form of symbiotic relationship: the villagers do nothing to destroy or harm the plant and in turn the plant stays on the pyramid...yes they make attempts to keep newcomers from coming in contact with the plant, but if that fails then the EvilPlant gets a free lunch...perhaps even the villagers encourage outsiders to come and eventually get fed to the plant in some crazy form of sacrifice...since there are many people who would have seen or talked to any tourists as they try and find the ruins, most or all of them turn a blind eye to what is really happening to outsiders once they make the ill-fated trip...this way no authorities are ever brought in to search for anyone and thus the status quo is maintained

[–] lakealice 14 years ago

Impossible that authorities wouldn't search for the people that go missing, and some of the hikers would have told people where they were headed before they set out. This part of reality is conveniently overlooked for the sake of a pretty good thriller. I would have found it more believable if the area was more remote, such as the Amazon, and it was a tribe that had obviously not had contact with the outside world. The Yucatan has been well explored, and is full of tourists.
Of course, the story would have to be completely different, because a group of college kids wouldn't go on a hike by themselves in the Amazon region, so I guess there was no choice.

[–] sdtony42 14 years ago

I bet with a little study modern science could have found a way to cure the plants effect on people.

[–] djvitae 13 years ago

Mexico does not equal the Amazon.

[–] denniswcooper 13 years ago

You can believe that Vines can imitate a cell phone and peoples voices and eat dead or dying people, and convince people that their partner is cheating on them, and that a 20 year old girl can cut herself to pieces with a knife but you cant believe that the Mayans did not report the vines to the authorities? That's the part you are questioning??

[–] fkelleghan 13 years ago

Dennis, I think I love you. Thanks for a smart and funny response.

Fiona

Science first! And information: also first!

[–] djvitae 13 years ago

LOL came here to say this!

[–] Zando777 13 years ago

lol, ditto

[–] There_Is_No_Sayid 13 years ago

Indigenous peoples don't generally have a very good relationship with the government since the main goal of the latter is usually to either exterminate the former or at least push them off of their land.

"Unless Alpert's covered in bacon grease, I don't think Hugo can track anything."

[–] Zando777 13 years ago

Okay, mr. college radical.

(Actually, in the modern world, most governments support/subsidize indigenous people, who would otherwise be living a bleak subsistance existence. There's a reason most people/cultures struggle upward from savagery.)

[–] Zando777 13 years ago

You have to remember that the natives were the descendants of the people who built the ruin - perhaps in homage to the Vines. They probably wanted to protect the vines, which were certainly magical in their own way.

They also covered the path, indicating they didn't really want to attract tourists, but rather simply wanted containment.

It's not completely clear, but I think my first point probably makes some sense. Keep in mind also these were fairly primitive, ignorant people. They may have feared divine retribution if they let outsiders kill the vines. Or they may have believed/realized any such effort would only spread the vine-germs to the entire local population.

[–] 13 years ago

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