Hacksaw Ridge

 Hacksaw Ridge 2016

• Director: Mel Gibson
• Seen by this director: Braveheart
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Theresa Palmer, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Andrew Garfield – Under the Silver Lake, Breathe, Social Network, Never Let Me Go, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Boy A, Doctor Who
• Sam Worthington – Terminator Salvation, Macbeth
• Theresa Palmer – Warm Bodies, I Am Number Four, December Boys
• Hugo Weaving – Mortal Engines, Strangerland, The Hobbit etc, Cloud Atlas, V for Vendetta, Little Fish, Matrix etc, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
• Rachel Griffiths – Six Feet Under, Ned Kelly, Very Annie Mary, Blow, Hilary & Jackie, Amy, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Jude, Muriel’s Wedding
• Why? Andrew Garfield
• Seen: 19 June 2022      

       If I had noticed that this was directed by Mel Gibson, I would not have bought it. I am not a fan. Braveheart is one of the worst films I have ever seen. He’s known for his love of violence, macho heroism and his religion. I’m not a fan of them either. Here he mixes them unembarrassedly.

       This is in no way an anti-war film, as some enthusiasts claim. It is the opposite. The message is that war is fine as long as the heroic pacifist (Garfield) doesn’t have to do the killing, as long as everyone else does. The film revels in war and religion. Gibson twists things around to make it seem acceptable.

       It’s not.

       For the sincere if misguided performances of Garfield, Griffiths and Weaving 

2* of 5