Mel Gibson has had a bit of controversy in his career, and went off the radar for a few years. Between 2003-2004 and 2010, he didn't make too much noise. In 2010 he return to cinema with "Edge of Darkness", and in 2011 starred in "The Beaver". Now he's back with the 2012 release "Get the Gringo". Hit or miss?
First off, this is Mel Gibson. A hardened Hollywood veteran who have given us many a great moment on the big screen. With "Get the Gringo" we not only get Gibson in a starring role, he also is credited with the screenplay, along with Adrian Grunberg and Stacy Perskie, none of whom are new to the world of cinema. Adrian Grunberg also directs this movie, and does a good job at it as well.
The story is that Gibson, a career criminal, gets into a bit of a pickle. He finds himself thrown into a Mexican prison, left to fend for himself. Not only does he need to keep himself alive on the inside the prison walls, he also needs to protect himself from forces on the outside. He makes friends with a rather odd sidekick, a ten year old boy who has a few tricks up his sleeve.
This is not your run-of-the-mill action movie. The dirtiness, sweat, grime, filth and corruption is vividly shown. The environments are very believable (at least to one who have never spent any time in a Mexican prison) and the daily life inside the walls of this particular Tijuana establishment is shown for what is is - a harsh living for both inmates and their families. Still, they portray it with a healthy dose of joie de vivre.
You won't find any perfectly made up Hollywood starlets in "Get the Gringo". You will however find a Mel Gibson in the same prime as when he played Martin Riggs in the "Leathal Weapon"-movies. His character (whos name we never truly learn) has the same type mischievous attitude and street smart - a style well becoming of Mel Gibson. Co-stars Kevin Hernandez (the boy) and Dolores Heredia (the mother) do a good job at wining the sympathy of the audience. Peter Stormare also has a role in the movie, playing less of a "whacky" role than we are used to.
Aside from good acting, you'll find this is a movie with a few quite gruesome scenes. It's not a movie to be watched with your ten year old child, it's rated "R" in the USA and minimum ages 14-18 in many countries - and rightfully so. Thrown into the mixed bag of laughter and general action are scenes of torture and very graphic violence.
The great selling points of "Get the Gringo" are, as I see it, two things. One is a Mel Gibson in great shape. He delivers a good performance and shows us that he still has what it takes. The other is the general feel of the movie. The camera work, the way we get to experience the prison and the persons in it. All in all, an hour and a half of good entertainment.
Rating - 7/10
First off, this is Mel Gibson. A hardened Hollywood veteran who have given us many a great moment on the big screen. With "Get the Gringo" we not only get Gibson in a starring role, he also is credited with the screenplay, along with Adrian Grunberg and Stacy Perskie, none of whom are new to the world of cinema. Adrian Grunberg also directs this movie, and does a good job at it as well.
The story is that Gibson, a career criminal, gets into a bit of a pickle. He finds himself thrown into a Mexican prison, left to fend for himself. Not only does he need to keep himself alive on the inside the prison walls, he also needs to protect himself from forces on the outside. He makes friends with a rather odd sidekick, a ten year old boy who has a few tricks up his sleeve.
This is not your run-of-the-mill action movie. The dirtiness, sweat, grime, filth and corruption is vividly shown. The environments are very believable (at least to one who have never spent any time in a Mexican prison) and the daily life inside the walls of this particular Tijuana establishment is shown for what is is - a harsh living for both inmates and their families. Still, they portray it with a healthy dose of joie de vivre.
You won't find any perfectly made up Hollywood starlets in "Get the Gringo". You will however find a Mel Gibson in the same prime as when he played Martin Riggs in the "Leathal Weapon"-movies. His character (whos name we never truly learn) has the same type mischievous attitude and street smart - a style well becoming of Mel Gibson. Co-stars Kevin Hernandez (the boy) and Dolores Heredia (the mother) do a good job at wining the sympathy of the audience. Peter Stormare also has a role in the movie, playing less of a "whacky" role than we are used to.
Aside from good acting, you'll find this is a movie with a few quite gruesome scenes. It's not a movie to be watched with your ten year old child, it's rated "R" in the USA and minimum ages 14-18 in many countries - and rightfully so. Thrown into the mixed bag of laughter and general action are scenes of torture and very graphic violence.
The great selling points of "Get the Gringo" are, as I see it, two things. One is a Mel Gibson in great shape. He delivers a good performance and shows us that he still has what it takes. The other is the general feel of the movie. The camera work, the way we get to experience the prison and the persons in it. All in all, an hour and a half of good entertainment.
Rating - 7/10