Last week I got to do something I’ve wanted to do for a long time: have an in-depth talk about filmmaking withMel Gibson. While I’ve been a fan of Gibson’s for what feels like my entire life from his work inMad MaxandLethal Weapon, I’m even more impressed by his talent behind the camera. As the director ofThe Man Without a Face,Braveheart,The Passion of the Christ,Apocalyptoand his latest film,Hacksaw Ridge, Gibson has shown a keen eye for staging action that’s easy to follow.
In his latest movie,Hacksaw Ridge, Gibson tells the true story ofDesmond Doss, a conscientious collaborator and Army medic who refused to bear arms during World War II, but ended up saving 75 men during the bloodiest battle of the war without firing a single bullet. Written byRobert Schenkkan,Andrew Knight, andBraveheartscribeRandall Wallace, it’s an incredibly well made film that doesn’t shy away from showing what really happens in war while also paying tribute to a man that did something next to impossible. While many of us love superhero movies,Hacksaw Ridgeis about a real hero. It’s absolutely worth seeing this weekend in theaters. The film starsAndrew Garfieldas Desmond Doss and the rest of the great cast includesSam Worthington,Luke Bracey,Teresa Palmer,Hugo Weaving,Rachel Griffiths, andVince Vaughn.
During my extended video interview with Gibson we talked about how it took a while for him to agree to make the film, what changed during the development process, his love of digital filmmaking, how the film industry has changed since he madeBraveheart, the way he crafts his action set pieces, who he trusts for honest feedback (it used to includeRidleyandTony Scott), his original cut ofBraveheart, what films he might direct in the future, and so much more. Trust me, if you’re a fan of Mel Gibson’s movies, I’m very confident you’ll enjoy this interview.
Watch what he had to say in the player above and below you’ll find a list of everything we talked about.
Mel Gibson:
Here’s the official synopsis forHacksaw Ridge:
HACKSAW RIDGE is the extraordinary true story of conscientious collaborator Desmond Doss [Andrew Garfield] who, in Okinawa during the bloodiest battle of WWII, saved 75 men without firing or carrying a gun. He believed the war was just, but killing was nevertheless wrong; he was the only American soldier in WWII to fight on the front lines without a weapon. As an army medic, Doss single-handedly evacuated the wounded from behind enemy lines, braved fire while tending to soldiers and was wounded by a grenade and hit by snipers. He was the first conscientious objector to ever earn the Congressional Medal of Honor.
