By Lee Pfeiffer
It wasn't that long ago that the film industry was fawning over Mel Gibson. Not only was he a reliable draw at the boxoffice, but his business instincts were the envy of everyone in the business. He produced and directed The Passion of the Christ, and expertly marketed it to true believers. The film grossed a fortune and Gibson seemed poised to expand beyond leading man status. (He had already been awarded the Oscar for directing Braveheart.)Then in 2006, it all came crashing down. Gibson was arrested on a drunk driving charge and exploded in a bizarre, anti-Semitic tirade that became a major scandal. Gibson issued the standard apologies but his brand was damaged. His follow-up film Apocalypto (which he produced and directed but did not star in) performed weakly with critics and the public. He stayed out of the spotlight and has waited until this moment to re-emerge as the star of the action film Edge of Darkness. At first blush, it's the kind of gritty film that Gibson's fans traditionally flocked to- but he hasn't top-lined a major movie since Signs in 2002.The big question is: even if audiences have forgiven Gibson for his behavior, does his name still resonate with young audiences, which represent the prime movie-going public? (Hell, even Harrison Ford is taking second billing to Brendan Frasier in his new movie!) The industry is about to find out when Gibson's Edge of Darkness thriller is released on January 29.
Audiences tend to be forgiving - or Charlie Sheen would have been retired twenty years ago. However, Gibson's sin was not only presenting himself as a bigot but also betraying his image as a clean-cut family guy (his wife of many years divorced him shortly after the scandal). Additionally, Gibson always defrayed questions about his father, who was known to believe in extreme and intolerant religious theories that many felt were anti-Semitic. Gibson's crazed denouncement of the Jews as the root of all evil gave credence to those who always felt the acorn didn't fall far from the tree when it came to father and son's religious beliefs. Whether audience hunger for a good action movie will overcome his now controversial reputation remains to be seen. However, the risk won't be a tremendous one, as the film reputedly carries a rather modest budget of $60 million. If Gibson's gamble works, look for Tiger Woods to sign on to co-star with him in his next film. For more click here