Does Gibson Matter?

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Mel Gibson isn't Mel Gibson any more. The last time "that guy" appeared in a film was What Women Want. Since the Malibu DUI arrest he's gotten too heavy and thin of hair to be an attractive box-office draw. To me he'll always be the bearded wacko in the flannel shirt with a shave. The upside is that Edge of Darkness, an adaptation of a six-hour BBC miniseries, has been written by the great William Monaghan (The Departed) and the very competent Martin Campbell.

comment #1

actionman says ...

Martin Campbell is a so-so choice of director, but he did helm the original mini-series so I guess that makes sense.

Monahan's involvement on this makes it interesting to me, even if the simple plot description sounds very routine.

Always loved Mel as an actor but it's been a while since he's been up on the big screen. I bet he's still got the goods, though.

comment #2

Hallick says ...

Edge of Darkness is a great, almost loony 80's mini-series, but I think Mel Gibson would be better cast in the Joe Don Baker role than the late Bob Peck's lead part.

comment #3

Monument says ...

There's always going to be some kind of asterisk on Mel Gibson's career, that's a given. But I don't think it's time to close the book on him.

He's always been a very engaging actor and will likely continue to be. I'm actually more curious where he'll go as a director, he clearly has some chops.

Time will tell, but I think he's a guy who's later career will be far more interesting that his early one.

comment #4

KeithNYC says ...

Monahan???

Has anybody actually paid attention to his script for "The Departed"?? Its so full of logical holes and inexpicable character choices that its shocking to think it won best screenplay.

Seriously, "The Departed" was entertaining but enough about Monahan. He's got a long way to go.

comment #5

AndrewOwens says ...

Edge of Darkness is like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy or Brideshead Revisited or I, Claudius; one of those remarkable triumphs from an age of almost impossibly good British TV. It really is one of the best mini-series of all time, with an awesome performance from the late, great Bob Peck (best known in the US as the big game hunter guy from Jurassic Park) an a wild one from Joe Don Baker. There's a scene where the greiving Peck rummages through his dead daughter's things, finding first a teddy bear, then a sex toy, then a gun and finally a geiger counter which is one of the great WTF! moments in thrillerdom. Amazing score by Ry Cooder and Michael Kamen also, that led to their work together in Lethal Weapon.

I wonder if they'll keep any of the gonzo, sci-fi, pseudo-supernatural elements.

Campbell has never done anything else that touches it, I hope he can raise his game to that level again (although I'm not one of those who complain that it will never match the mini a'la Pride and Prejudice.)

comment #6

actionman says ...

Monahan's script for Kingdom of Heaven: The Director's Cut was fucking phenomenal.

I loved the dialogue he wrote in The Departed.

comment #7

swordandpen says ...

I would rather have Gibson return to acting than direct another one of his bloodfests.

comment #8

fielding says ...

AndrewOwens:

Ry Cooder??? That was the work of Eric Clapton, my friend.

I rewatched Edge of Darkness a few weeks ago; just brilliant, and an American film version would be an aberration.

comment #9

Mgmax says ...

Guys, you know why Hollywood wants to remake it. It's an eco-thriller! Which was very novel when Troy Kennedy Martin (who deserves the auteur credit as the writer over Campbell) conceived it 20 years ago, but sounds like a ghastly idea for the Hollywood of 2008.

Is it available on R1 DVD now? I have an R2, it is one of the great miniseries though I'm not sure how well the political aspect wears (getting worked up about Thatcher is sort of like getting worked up about Nixon). Still, if all it has going for it now is Peck and Joe Don, that's more than most.

comment #10

AH says ...

Gibson is Gibson, a star period. As much as I like to see him on the screen, I can't wait for this guy to direct another movie. He is a very good director and should explore that side of his artistic personality more.

comment #11

silver says ...

Monahan did a crappy adaption of the great Infernal Affairs for Departed.
Little reason to think he hasn't done the same adapting the great Edge of Darkness. Sad.

comment #12

BurmaShave says ...

Yes of course THE DEPARTED was soo crappy and soo unentertaining, and all the logical inconsistencies! Thank god we have... Never mind, you're a bunch of fuckheads. Great movie, great dialogue, great performances, great. Looks like Gibson is trying to make up for having to turn it down by doing a Boston set picture with Monahan.

I'm so sick of the supposed infallibity of Asian film. Especially when it's almost all entirely a digestion and reworking of American themes.

comment #13

Gaydos says ...

My Journey with Mel:

Never bought him as an actor. Just didn't get it. Didn't bother to see the first two films he directed. Then saw "Christ" and thought, "Wow, this is some intense stuff banging around inside this guy's head." Then saw "Apocalypto" and thought, "Damn, this is about the most interesting, daring, passionate guy at work in American cinema." He's got serious issues, PR and otherwise, but Godalmighty he is playing for keeps, unlike 99% of the mainstream American film product that keeps the turnstiles humming.

My Journey with Martin: My partner and I were writing an anti-Pershing missile deployment actioner which got us work everywhere in H'wood on OTHER projects, but couldn't get produced and we even heard the Pentagon vowed to "nuke" us if we tried to make the film. For real. And then Martin directed this great, thoughtful, prophetic project that gave us the (false) hope that a political thriller that spoke truth to Reagan's power could get greenlit. It could. But only in Thatcherite England. So Martin went to the top of the list of directors we wanted, should the world ever change.

Am I there for this movie? I am SO there.....

PS: Mgmax: it was 25 friggin' years ago!!!!

comment #14

Mgmax says ...

"And then Martin directed this great, thoughtful, prophetic project that gave us the (false) hope that a political thriller that spoke truth to Reagan's power could get greenlit. It could. But only in Thatcherite England. So Martin went to the top of the list of directors we wanted, should the world ever change."

Well, the world did change, in 1989, but not because people spoke truth to Reagan....

comment #15

D.Z. says ...

Burma: That's kind of the point. It's a digest version, not a bloated cuss-fest.

comment #16

MPNeeb says ...

So I imagine there's going to be a scene where Mel's eyes bulge and he yells into a phone?
Seriously, there's something like that or similar in every Mel Gibson picture.

comment #17

Spacesheik says ...

I wholeheartedly welcome Mel Gibson to the actor roles, apart from his cameo in lame PAPARRAZI and his John Wayne turn in WE WERE HEROES, I havent seen him in anything else lately...

He needs to act more, at this stage in his career, he might have a more hardened, cynical demeanour and edge - I wouldnt mind seeing him tackle the tough gumshoe/detective/cop type roles that Robert Mitchum did during the 70s (i.e. YAKUZA, FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE etc) - I can seriously see him kicking serious arse as an ageing tough guy.

comment #18

Joel says ...

I'm glad Mel's acting again.

comment #19

Mark says ...

Thin of hair? that shouldn't really be an issue. i'm sure they still make hair pieces like the one he wore in Signs.

comment #20

Monument says ...

"So I imagine there's going to be a scene where Mel's eyes bulge and he yells into a phone?
Seriously, there's something like that or similar in every Mel Gibson picture."

That reminds me of Patton Oswalt's take on Nick Nolte, pretty much spot on:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q4stEasOVrI

comment #21

CinemaPhreek says ...

Burmashave - No, some of us didn't drink the Kool-Aid on THE DEPARTED and saw it for the Cult of Marty film it really was: a grade B pulper with a high powered cast. No one is ever going to confuse it with his earlier work that he should have won for, it will always be the asterisk that says "*given to Scorsese to ameliorate the embarrassment that the greatest living American director did not have an Oscar."

That Monahan won says far more about the other nominees than the merits of THE DEPARTED.

comment #22

martindale says ...

" The last time "that guy" appeared in a film was What Women Want. "

Uh, "Signs."

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