The Passion of the Christ (2004) - Gibson's breathtaking, fierce religious masterpiece

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An intense, gory profile picture of Jesus Christ with the crown of thorns in earthy tones makes up this poster for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ

Jesus' last 12 hours are presented with a relentless focus on his sufferings and the human crime in his torture and crucifixion, which He went through for our salvation.

 

The Passion of the Christ is written by Benedict Fitzgerald (Zelda (1993, TV movie)) and New-Yorker master filmmaker, co-writer/co-producer/director Mel Gibson (The Man Without a Face (1993)), whose 3rd film it is.

For the first time ever here is a feature film that gives the opportunity of following the painful and cleansing last hours of the Christ on Earth, with auspicious flashbacks to to His teachings. 

In extraordinary images (cinematography by Caleb Deschanel (Killer Joe (2012))) and with a grand score (by John Debney (I Still Believe (2020))), this is an uncompromising and incredible accomplishment. Gibson establishes himself as a master behind the camera here. Jim Caviezel (Transit (2012)) is outstanding as Jesus. The film is a triumph.

 

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Mel Gibson: 2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]

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2016 in films - according to Film Excess

Hacksaw Ridge (2016) - Gibson's intense, humbling WWII epic 

The Expendables 3 (2014) - Unique, bizarre, largely entertaining third action fireball (co-star)

Get the Gringo/How I Spent My Summer Vacation (2012) - Mexico is just a little merrier with Mel Gibson (co-producer/co-writer/star)

The Beaver (2011) - Odd depression-dramedy with great stars - for the open-minded (co-star) 

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2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

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Apocalypto (2006) - or, Journey to an Extinct World  

Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) - Pretty good last show for Donner's buddy-cop franchise (co-star) 

Hamlet (1990) - Stars shine in Zeffirelli's compelling adaptation (co-star)

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 30 mil. 

Box office: 612 mil. $

= Mega-hit (returned 20.4 times its cost)

[The Passion of the Christ was released 25 February (North America, New Zealand, Australia) and runs 127 minutes. The script is based on the Old and the New Testament, with inspiration from Anne Catherine Emmerich's The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ (1833), which recounts Emmerich's mystical visions of the Passion of Christ. Gibson did not find support for the film at the big Hollywood studios and consequently decided to self-finance it. Shooting took place from November 2002 - January 2003 in Italy, including in Rome. Caviezel suffered a shoulder separation during filming (in a shot which is reportedly in the film) and was struck by lightning at another point; assistant director Jan Michelini was allegedly struck twice by lightning during shooting. The film is considered to be highly faithful to the facts as laid out in the New Testament. With the film finished, Gibson could also not entice traditional big studios to distribute it, as they feared backlash over its alleged antisemitism. Gibson reportedly spent another 15 mil. $ to market and release it himself, screening it for many Christian groups and leaders who embraced it. The film then opened #1 to an 83.8 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 3 weekends at #1 (one a few weeks later at Easter), and another 3 in the top 5 (#2-#3-#5), grossing 370.2 mil. $ (60.5 % of the total gross), selling an estimated 59.6 mil. tickets in the US alone. It is the highest-grossing R-rated, Christian and independent film to date, and the 5th highest-grossing film of the year worldwide. Its 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Italy with 23.9 mil. $ (3.9 %) and the UK with 20.4 mil. $ (3.3 %). The film was nominated for 3 Oscars, winning none: It lost Best Cinematography to Robert Richardson for The Aviator, Score to Jan A.P. Kaczmarek for Finding Neverland and Makeup to A Series of Unfortunate Events. It won a National Board of Review award, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. The film was banned in some countries and heavily plagued by accusations of antisemitism, which became worse when Gibson in a 2006 DUI incident was videotaped saying to the responding California officer: "Fucking Jews... the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world. Are you a Jew?". The film was never shown in Israel. Gibson and Caviezel are nearing production on a sequel centered on the resurrection of Christ with shooting reportedly set to begin in Autumn 2023. Gibson returned with Complete Savages (2004, TV-series) and theatrically with Apocalypto (2006). Caviezel returned in Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004). The Passion of the Christ is rotten at 49 % with a 6/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Passion of the Christ?

Seraphim Falls (2006) - Great stars Neeson/Brosnan command striking revenge western

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+ Best Revenge Movie of the Year

The two stars look dangerous on this simple - bordering on uninspired - poster for David Von Ancken's Seraphim Falls

 
A man and his posse are hunting another man through various landscapes, both of them carrying a heavy heritage in the recent horrors of the American Civil War.


Seraphim Falls is written by Abby Everett Jaques and co-writer/director David Von Ancken (Box Suite (1997)).
It is a really good western with handsome photography (by John Toll (Jack (1996)) that's full of highly saturated images with striking colors.
Liam Neeson (Taken 2 (2012)) and Pierce Brosnan (The Match (1999)) are both excellent in the leads, and they enjoy the help of a strong supporting cast that among others features Tom Noonan (The Pledge (2001)) and Anjelica Huston (50/50 (2011)) in a mysterious devil-in-the-desert role.
Maybe due to the introvert nature of the two leading characters, Seraphim Falls never becomes a grand emotional journey or the most memorable of westerns. But it runs well on its simple, very well done hunting/revenge plot; it has a great ending plus an inventive use of animal stomachs.

 

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2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

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Brosnan is interviewed about the film here

Cost: Reportedly 18 mil. $
Box office: 1.2 mil. $
= Box office disaster (returned 0.06 times its cost)
[Seraphim Falls premiered 13 September (Toronto International Film Festival, Ontario) and runs 115 minutes. Richard Gere dropped out in the part played by Brosnan. Shooting took place in Oregon, California, Arizona and New Mexico for 48 days from October 2005 - January 2006. The film opened #42 to a 155k $ first weekend in 55 theaters in North America, where it only diminished from there, grossing tiny 418k $ (34.8 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 236k $ (19.7 %) and Mexico with 151k $ (12.6 %). Von Ancken has not returned to cinemas since, but he has been and is a prolific TV director. Neeson returned in Taken (2008); Brosnan in Shattered (2007). Seraphim Falls is rotten at 55 % with a 5.71/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Seraphim Falls?

Hacksaw Ridge (2016) - Gibson's intense, humbling WWII epic

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+ Best War Movie of the Year + Comeback of the Year: Mel Gibson
 

 

This striking poster for Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge highlights how one man went against the destructive chaos of war

 

Desmond Doss is a Seventh-day Adventist Christian Virginian, who has grown up with an abusive father, who was himself traumatized by experiences in the first World War, when WWII arrives, and Doss feels compelled to enlist, although his convictions make it impossible for him to use violence.

Hacksaw Ridge, written by Robert Schenkkan (The Quiet American (2002)) and Andrew Knight (The Water Diviner (2014)), based on Desmond Doss' true story, is the 5th film from American-Australian master filmmaker Mel Gibson (Apocalypto (2006)). It is an intense war movie, which feels like a classic war film although it depicts the horrors of a Japanese war zone in ways that were impossible 60 years ago and also tells us a fresh story that is instantly fascinating.

Andrew Garfield (Boy A (2007)) as Doss calls to mind an actor like Anthony Perkins. His slightly effeminate demeanor might take a moment to get used to; later it is clear that the particular, unusual sensitivity he has developed here fits the character perfectly. Teresa Palmer (Lights Out (2016)) is darling sweet, and she makes it far from a mystery what makes Doss fall so suddenly for her. Garfield is backed up by an ensemble of terrific actors: Hugo Weaving (Last Ride (2009)), Sam Worthington (Macbeth (2006)), Rachel Griffiths (Six Feet Under (2001-05)) and Vince Vaughn (Be Cool (2005)), who works surprisingly well as the roughneck sergeant.

The film takes us on a journey from a troubled family setting and a blossoming romance, to the sharp-edged hierarchy and harshness of the army, incorporating humor and a consistent focus on Doss' convictions and how they clash with the system. As he overcomes these obstacles, it heads us into the battle for the titular Hacksaw Ridge, a hellish piece of Japanese land that is climbed up ropes on a rocky wall in awesomely mythical fashion. The war scenes are horrific, conveying the pointless destruction, waste and agony of war and the adrenaline rush it creates at the same time. Gibson is a master at work here, SPOILER and I was particularly glad that the film also responded to the waste of enemy lives, and Doss' reaction to this fact as well.

There are a few scenes in the film which are scarred by some digital image compositions which stand out. One is in the training camp with several things going on in the front, middle and back ground, SPOILER and another is towards the end when Doss is lifted down from the ridge, and the camera purports to do a sweeping movement in under his sling. Both are obviously achieved through digital compositing handiwork, which goes against the overall realism achieved in Hacksaw Ridge. - A shame.

But it is also a minor detractor from a great war epic that tells an exciting, horrifying, inspirational and humbling true story. This kind of animal rarely comes to town, so don't miss Hacksaw Ridge in a cinema!

 

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Mel Gibson: 2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

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Apocalypto (2006) - or, Journey to an Extinct World 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: Reportedly 40 - 45 mil. $

Box office: 39 mil. $ and counting

= Too early to say

[Hacksaw Ridge premiered September 4 (Venice International Film Festival) and runs 131 minutes. The project was in 'development hell' for 14 years, before it finally took shape with Gibson as director, - who had turned down the project twice before accepting. For financing reasons, the film was set up as a US-Australian co-production with no less than 14 production companies involved, which includes some distributors. Palmer was cast following an audition she shot herself on her iPhone and managed to get to Gibson. Filming took place for 59 days from September - December 2015 in New South Wales, Australia. 500 hectares of land was cleared, including removing 80 trees, which prompted environmentalists to protest, although approvals were gathered, on conditions of replanting and rehabilitating the area after shooting. The accuracy of the film is reportedly pretty high; changes include some things concerning Doss' father and his struggles with him, Doss' prior service in two battles before Hacksaw Ridge and the length of his service in that battle, which actually ran for around 3 weeks. The film opened #3, behind fellow new releases Doctor Strange and Trolls, to a 15.1 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it fell to #5 in its current second week and has grossed 34.3 mil. $ so far. The film is getting a Chinese release later this month. It has already been nominated for 13 AACTA awards (Australia's Oscar.) Hacksaw Ridge is certified fresh at 85 % with a 7.1 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Hacksaw Ridge?

Get the Gringo/How I Spent My Summer Vacation (2012) - Mexico is just a little merrier with Mel Gibson...

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+ Best Comeback of the Year: Mel Gibson

Super-star Mel Gibson looks dangerous and game on the gritty and very orange poster for Adrian Grunberg's Get the Gringo

An American man, who crosses the border into Mexico with 2 million stolen dollars is immediately arrested and put in Tijuana's feared El Pueblito prison. Here he hustles his way upwards and befriends a 10 year-old boy, who's important in there for a special reason. But 2 mil. $ don't go missing without being missed...

 

Get the Gringo is written by co-writer/co-producer Stacy Perskie (Bel Canto (2018, co-producer)), co-writer/co-producer/star Mel Gibson (Apocalypto (2006)) and debuting co-writer/director Adrian Grunberg (The Black Demon (2023)), with Scotty Atkins (Gotti (2018, executive producer)) contributing story elements.
Gibson leads the film in more ways than one. Watching it, you can feel his engagement in the story, and that is a great asset here. The New-Yorker's pariah status in Hollywood on the back of his Passion of the Christ (2004) DUI scandal should at least begin its ending with this comeback.
Here Gibson's scheming character bonds with a boy (Kevin Hernandez (The Sitter (2011))) and his mother. Some of the dialogue scenes between Hernandez and Gibson have really bad continuity between the shots, which is a shame. Peter Gerety (Flight (2012)) is a dubious US consulate attaché, who wants a piece of the stolen money, and Peter Stormare (The Last Stand (2013)) is the enraged mobster who was robbed.
The movie provides an interesting look inside a big, Mexican prison. One production team member, Alejandro Cuervo, did extensive research about El Pueblito, interviewing ex-inmates etc. The prison works like a village; a really crummy village full of criminals and dirt. Mexico looks like shit in Gringo, - but the scenes from America and the Americans in the film aren't much better. Just different.
Gringo starts out with an action-packed car chase that succeeded in hooking me, and then it slows down action-wise, almost to a complete stop, as prison life is introduced. The dialogue becomes too dense, and you get to wonder, if you are watching a modern Midnight Express (1978) or a fun-filled action picture. But then comes a major shoot-out in slow motion so insane that it brings to mind old Sam Peckinpah films like the shoot-out in the beginning of The Wild Bunch (1969). And Gringo picks up its pace and dares go into some dark developments in later scenes.
The film is at times very funny and serious at other times, though mostly by its implications. Gibson is great throughout and totally believable as the resourceful, likeable gringo crook. Remembering his past career in films like the Lethal Weapon films (1987; 1989; 19992; 1998), it seems like the world has changed since then and that that change is reflected in Get the Gringo. Those once common major action films without superheroes or vampires or attractive teenagers all over the place aren't really done much anymore. But Gibson keeps going. And that deserves respect.

Mel Gibson: 2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]

2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

2016 in films - according to Film Excess

Hacksaw Ridge (2016) - Gibson's intense, humbling WWII epic 

The Expendables 3 (2014) - Unique, bizarre, largely entertaining third action fireball (co-star)

2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V]
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

The Beaver (2011) - Odd depression-dramedy with great stars - for the open-minded (co-star) 

2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 

2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 

2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

Top 10: The best action movies and TV-series reviewed by Film Excess to date

Top 10: The best big hit movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 

Apocalypto (2006) - or, Journey to an Extinct World  

The Passion of the Christ (2004) - Gibson's breathtaking, fierce religious masterpiece (co-writer/co-producer/director)

Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) - Pretty good last show for Donner's buddy-cop franchise (co-star) 

Hamlet (1990) - Stars shine in Zeffirelli's compelling adaptation (co-star)

 

Watch a short clip from the film here

Cost: 20 mil. $
Box office: 8.8 mil. $
= Mega-flop (returned 0.44 times its cost)

[Get the Gringo was released 15 March (Israel) and runs 96 minutes. Shooting took place from March - April 2010 in Mexico, Texas and San Diego, California. In North America the film was released as VoD and with screenings in ten cities followed by a satellite feed of a Q&A with Gibson and Hernandez, with the gross from the event going unreported. The film's biggest markets were Mexico with 1.6 mil. $ ( 18.2 %), Brazil with 1 mil. $ (11.4 %) and Russia with 839k $ (9.5 %). Grunberg returned with Here on Earth (2018, TV-series) and theatrically with Rambo: Last Blood (2019). Gibson returned in Machete Kills (2013). Get the Gringo is certified fresh at 81 % with a 6.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of Get the Gringo?