Every Actor Who Copied Liam Neeson's Taken Comeback - Ranked
5. Mel Gibson - Blood Father
Why The Actor Needed It: Mel Gibson literally went from hero to zero overnight in 2006. The perceived charming family man had enjoyed everything from action hero hall-of-fame to Oscar-winning directing glory. Yet, after a drunken tirade towards a cop, he was quickly blacklisted.
After cleaning up, he attempted several times to get back into steady work within the industry...it was a long road he walked, certainly a Neeson-style success was the key?
Film In Question: Gibson didn't only attempt one Neeson-style comeback, not two, but three!
Certainly, Edge Of Darkness and Get The Gringo held their Taken influences on their sleeves...but 2016's Blood Father was the one to really go for the jugular in trying to give the troubled star the same sort of resurgence.
In it, Gibson plays a flawed father with a dark past who protects his estranged daughter from vicious Mexican mobsters attempting to kill her.
Did It Work?: Yes, but not as intended.
Gibson was so fantastic in the movie that even mainstream reviewers had to give him props. It helped that it was an involving and gritty thrill ride too.
It flopped anyhow. Despite this, the good faith earned with the film primed Gibson to finally make a comeback that same year, with his Oscar-nominated directing work with Hacksaw Ridge.