There are few who would stand up to defend Mel Gibson's personal life in this day and age, and yet - for a time - he was a Hollywood superstar of the highest-order, albeit one who people liked to debate from time to time, pondering whether or not he was indeed worthy of his career. Throw in all the controversy of the last decade, and you've got the very definition of polarising; it really is hard to know how to feel about Gibson in 2015. He was something of a manic tour-de-force in his early roles as Mad Max, of course, and it would be wrong to suggest that his turns as Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon movies were anything but brilliant. But Gibson's clear hatred of the English (Braveheart and The Patriot, anyone?), Jews, and everybody in his life has only served to complicate matters. He is now regarded as one of many former Hollywood icons who has since poisoned his relationship with the industry; even die-hard Gibson fans are likely to feel a tad awkward about his involvement in any future projects. So, yes, the man has always been polarising, and the status of his career today has only served to cement his position as such.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
