There is no denying that Mel Gibson is a master of the art of filmmaking

I found out about Mel Gibson’s new war movie Hacksaw Ridge when it received a 10-minute standing ovation at this year’s Venice Film Festival.

Hacksaw Ridge is the story of one exceptional human being – a man who was granted full access to the battlefield but was just there to offer medical assistance to his platoon.

Mel Gibson is a craftsman, a master of his art. Apocalypto was a phenomenal piece of cinema, as was Braveheart, but it was Apocalypto that made me take a step back and realise how much genius Mel Gibson had inside of him.

I was reading a detailed interview on Deadline with Mel Gibson and came across this awesome question that I thought I would share wth you…

DEADLINE: The movies you’ve directed, like Braveheart and Apocalypto, featured protagonists who engage in violence. Desmond Doss was the exact opposite. Why did you spark to this guy’s story?

GIBSON: That’s what was amazing for me, and what impressed me more than anything. The guy didn’t carry a weapon, never fired a bullet, was a conscientious objector who thought it was wrong to kill under any circumstances. But he had the guts to go into the worst place you can imagine and stick to his convictions, armed with nothing else but sheer faith. Walk in and just do the impossible, which is courage under fire unparalleled because he didn’t do it in a split second or decision or moment. He did it again and again and again. He did it in other places in the Pacific Theater too. This was his pinnacle, but in other places like Guam and the Philippines, he was always crawling into enemy fire to get guys. They were saying don’t go out there, and he was like, if somebody’s in trouble I’m going to get them. And he’d get them, every time, and he would never get touched. And he didn’t have a weapon. That to me is the ultimate superhero. He stuck to his principles, his convictions about not bearing arms, even in the face of terrible persecution. It was worse in real life than I portrayed it in the film. He was persecuted very solidly for two years in the Army.

Hacksaw Ridge has been in development hell for 14-years. 
Mel Gibson was approached twice about bringing Doss's tale to life 
and finally agreed to make it. 
Looks like it was the right choice as Hacksaw Ridge is tipped to be one of the 
greatest war movies of our time.

OFFICIAL PLOT

The true story of Pfc. Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield), who won the Congressional Medal of Honor despite refusing to bear arms during WWII on religious grounds. Doss was drafted and ostracised by fellow soldiers for his pacifist stance but went on to earn respect and adoration for his bravery, selflessness and compassion after he risked his life — without firing a shot — to save 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa.