In theaters today is "Edge of Darkness," which marks the triumphant return of star Mel Gibson to the big screen. The Australian actor who first made a name for himself here in the U.S. with "Mad Max" has been sticking behind the camera for the past seven years, focusing on passion projects like "Apocalypto" and "The Passion of the Christ." He's back in "Darkness," and it's vintage Mel: he plays a homicide detective investigating the death of his daughter, which of course is not a simple case.
It is familiar ground for Gibson however. He's frequently played a cop (or vigilante-type) in the course of his career, and it's frequently put him on some mission of revenge. "Darkness" is similar, as the investigation eventually uncovers evidence of a corporate cover-up. Gibson is quick to point out, however, that his latest performance stands apart from those in the likes of "Conspiracy Theory" and "Payback."
"I think the core of it [sets 'Edge of Darkness' apart] — it's a very strong emotional core, and a father/daughter relationship," Gibson explained. "This is about a guy who has to fulfill something that he probably failed to do for his daughter when she was alive. He has to do it posthumously, and he sacrifices himself in the process. It's a one-way ticket. That's why it's the edge of darkness, I guess. It explores those themes of parenthood, loss, grief and breakdown — and there's also nothing like a good old-fashioned mystery."
There's also the question of Gibson's absence from the acting world. He's been focused on passion projects of course, but there's no doubt that the man has a lot of fans. People who treasure his work in the likes of the "Lethal Weapon" series, the period action flicks (a la "Braveheart," "The Patriot") and whatever else. And they've all been left with one question: why?
"I walked away because I was feeling stale and bored by acting," he said. "I got into the directing thing, producing, writing all that sort of stuff. Now, it felt like it was time to hop back in the saddle." Why "Edge of Darkness" then? What about this one made it worth putting an end to the hiatus. "This was a strong, compelling piece of work, a good story."
For more from Gibson and his "Darkness" co-star Ray Winstone, check out the rest of the interview on MTV.com.
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