I always loved the work of Mel Gibson. But then some of his rants were leaked, and it made him appear, at least on the surface, as a bigot. I was taken aback. It kinda ‘fit the bill’ because earlier, he had been accused of antisemitism for “Passion of the Christ”. Then one night, on television, I saw a movie that completely mesmerized me… it was called Apocalypto. Directed by Mel Gibson, too.
I loved the movie, beginning to end. Loved the message. The scenery. Loved, too, that Mel Gibson — the terrible bigot Gibson! — took a firm stance against colonialism when (spoilers!) the main characters, after surviving their great ordeal, decided to stay the hell away from the European settlers about to walk on land… they faced human sacrificices, slavery, horror beyond human comprehension. And yet Gibson had the bravery to portray the Conquistadores about to swarm them as far worse — the native hero knew instantly to keep his family far away from them, curiosity be damned. Now coming from a “reactionary Catholic director” this was a hot take.
Having thoroughly enjoyed the film, I googled it. And, as it turns out, Mel Gibson used exclusively strictly Native American actors — a group often overlooked and neglected by Hollywood to an almost criminal degree. Not only did he hire them, he also had them speak their original languages. Tried to bring alive the world they lived in prior to the arrival of the European conquerors. He hired beautiful actors and actresses, and highlighted their bravery amidst horror and hardship. By casting them, he allowed them to shine on the big screen. And allowed many previously unknown stars to make it to the ‘big leagues’.
For a while I, too, judged Mel Gibson. I was shocked by some of the things he had said in the past, and I felt there was no excuse. I thought this man was racist, awful, no redemption possible. Seeing this movie changed my entire perception of the man once more. No longer did I feel like I had any right or reason to judge this man, and in fact I came to admire him much more deeply after watching what has by now become one of my favorite movies. Recently, with Hacksaw Ridge, he once again proved his humility and artistry beyond any doubt.
So I saw this movie. Was impressed by the casting, the scenary, the artistry behind it and I was touched by the message it tried to convey. I decided upon seeing it that the director, Mel Gibson, did indeed have his heart in the right place. And that in spite of his many flaws, he was decidely not a bigot or racist.
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