Gibson's Upcoming 'Vacation' a Return to Action Form

The strangest thing about the poster for Mel Gibson’s upcoming action film “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” is that seems completely oblivious to the actor’s current standing within the Hollywood community and with the public in general. And you know what? That’s probably what’s so great about it.

The poster shows Gibson holding a gun like the action star he is. The film poster comes complete with a ’90s tag line – “Plan Your Getaway” – and is promoted as being from the producers of two great action pictures (“Apocalypto” and “Braveheart”). If this poster doesn’t get you excited for a cool prison escape shoot ’em up then nothing will.

Well, actually if it doesn’t get you excited that’s probably because you’re looking forward to the next Michael Moore propaganda piece or Roman Polanski feature.

Anyway, now that us important people are alone, here’s what the film is about: “Gibson plays a career criminal who finds himself locked up in a Mexican prison and learns to survive thanks to the help of a 9 year-old boy.” Say what? That sounds almost as strange as “The Beaver,” Gibson’s last foray into acting.

Maybe that’s what’s so cool about this film project – and about Gibson.

The very strange title choice and weird plot go hand in hand with Gibson’s offbeat talent. I mean, this is the guy who turned “The Passion of the Christ” into a smash with his own money when everyone in Hollywood had denied for years that a Bible-themed film could be a financial success (let alone a film so violent and spoken in a different language). This is also the guy who made “Apocalypto,” a film in the Mayan language about a civilization most knew nothing about with no stars. He simply turned it into one of the best action films of the last decade.

Gibson’s talent as an artist comes from the fact that he’s so offbeat. And as for the recent comments that have gotten him in trouble (and kicked out of “The Hangover: Part II” … what a shame) … you’d have to be a sucker to believe that this guy is a racist or the misogynistic creep the liberal media has made him out to be.

Those allegations are based on comments he made while he was heavily intoxicated and during a private phone call (which clearly there was context to that we did not know and, quite frankly should not know). Yet, a man like Polanski rapes an underage girl and goes on the run for decades and is given a Best Director Academy Award? Explain that one to me.

No? I’ll explain it. Gibson’s persona (which many believe to lean towards the right) and his eclectic films never fit into the Hollywood mold. Polanski’s movies always did. He’s the European liberal filmmaker. That’s like gold to ignorant naïve actors and actresses. Meanwhile, Gibson is the openly religious guy who turned Jesus Christ into a movie star and prefers the violent clash between good and evil for his movies as opposed to films about devil children and people who play pianos.

Hollywood and its ilk can flock to see the new Polanski flick (this year, it’s “Carnage”) as they take a break from sleeping and protesting on public property. I don’t care. You can catch me waiting for the new Gibson action flick. Because to me, he’s still the action star he was 10 to 15 years ago and light years ahead of directors like Polanski.