Love him or hate him, Mel Gibson is one of the most succesful actors of all time. Although his name has been marred by a string of controversies over the last couple of decades, it seems a large proportion of Hollywood have forgiven him. Yet, he may never be the box office titan he once was, as that forgiveness doesn’t necessarily extend to wider audiences.
In 2024, Gibson will lead the cast of the horror adventure movie, Monster Summer. To that, he is clearly still a bankable star despite his moral shortcomings. Many of his movies have etched themselves into pop culture and become timeless classics, namely Lethal Weapon and the Oscar-winning epic Braveheart. But what about the roles that flew under the radar? Here’s our pick of the 5 most underrated Mel Gibson movies.
5. Maverick (1994)
Maverick served as Mel Gibson’s fourth collaboration with Lethal Weapon director Richard Donner. With that said, this underrated Western comedy feels like Martin Riggs took a step back in time and donned a cowboy hat instead of jeans and snakeskin boots. With Gibson at the lead, the story focuses on Bret Maverick (Gibson), a charming yet mischievous gambler who dabbles in morally ambiguous schemes. When he gets wind of a winner-take-all poker game, he realizes he is three thousand dollars short of being able to enter. So, he sets off on a series of wacky adventures to come up with the money, all with the help of Annabelle Bransford (Jodie Foster), a woman gambler who is just as roguish as he is.
Although Maverick was the 12th highest-grossing film in North America and the 15th highest-grossing film worldwide of 1994, it has not garnered the same level of enduring appeal as Gibson’s other 90s movies. However, what makes the movie stand out is Gibson’s swerve from the tough guy realm, playing a character who is much more cunning, using his wits to get out of danger instead of his fists. While Maverick may have been eclipsed by the Lethal Weapon movies, it stands as a light-hearted action comedy fit for the entire family.
4. Bird on a Wire (1990)
Bird on a Wire was a big deal when it hit movie theaters in 1990, pairing together two of Hollywood’s biggest stars – Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn. From 80s action comedy savant John Badham (Short Circuit, Stakeout), this romantic action comedy delivers quirky heartfelt moments, suspense, action, and playful humour carried effortlessly by its two lead stars. The plot follows Marianne Graves (Hawn), a professional woman who has her life thrown into chaos when she bumps into her ex-boyfriend Rick (Gibson). After believing he was dead, she is now engaged to another man. However, Rick is very much alive and on the run from ruthless criminals after his FBI relocation programme is compromised and his cover is blown.
With an opening weekend gross of $15.3 million, Bird on a Wire made a great start at the US box office and went on to generate over $138.6 million worldwide on a $20 million budget. However, it was heavily panned by critics upon release. Despite this, it is a fun watch for any Mel Gibson fan who wants to see him kick butt and deliver laughs in a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously but revels in its mission statement.
3. The Professor and the Madman (2019)
The quality of Mel Gibson’s recent movies are difficult to dissect if you look at the critical consensus, as it’s fair to say that many critics struggle to see past his controversies. 2019’s The Professor and the Madman feels like one of these films, and if you take a look on Rotten Tomatoes, this analogy is somewhat evident. As of writing, the movie has a Tomatometer of 39% but a Popcornmeter of 79%, demonstrating that it landed better with audiences than film analysts.
In The Professor and the Madman, Mel Gibson’s Professor James Murray and Sean Penn‘s Dr. William Minor form an unexpected alliance as they explore the astonishing series of events that led to the establishment of the Oxford English Dictionary. Set in the late 19th century, this character study drama unites these two very different men by their love of words and explores themes of genius, madness, and redemption. As they give depth and dimension to their respective roles and capture the subtleties of their characters with a riveting intensity that reverberates throughout the narrative, Gibson and Penn’s connection is nothing short of captivating. You could even say they were both snubbed by the Academy that year, which would be most likely down to Gibson’s negative reputation.
2. Forever Young (1992)
Forever Young is a heartwarming drama from 1992 that has since fell under the radar compared to some of Mel Gibson’s more well-known movies. The story centers on Daniel McCormick (Gibson), a pilot who enters a cryogenic freezer when he can’t handle life alone while his loving fiancee lays in a coma. However, when he is awoken by two playful youths, Daniel realizes he is now in 1992. As he starts to age rapidly, he enlists the help of the two young boys to find his long-lost fiancee.
Forever Young delivers a mix of romance, heartfelt drama and comedy. With a stellar supporting cast including Jamie Lee Curtis, and Elijah Wood in an early defining role, it’s hard to see why this movie slipped out of the mainstream consciousness. The film came at a time when Gibson was becoming known as an action star. Therefore, he flipped the script and showcased he still had ample dramatic abilities.
1. Conspiracy Theory (1997)
Teaming with Lethal Weapon‘s Richard Donner once again, Conspiracy Theory is a truly overlooked thriller from Mel Gibson’s eclectic portfolio. Gibson stars as Jerry Fletcher, a New York City taxi driver with a penchant for conspiracy theories. He lives a quiet life of solitude, with an incredibly small circle and an overwhelming paranoia that makes him think someone is out to get him at all times. However, he has a soft spot for one particular person – Alice Sutton (Julia Roberts). He doesn’t know why, and neither does she, but he has a deep-seated belief that she is in danger and he must protect her. When one of his theories becomes true, he finds himself at the mercy of a group of rogue government figures and Alice is soon caught in the crossfires.
Conspiracy Theory blends action and suspense with subtle romance and moments of absurd comedy, culminating in a very unique picture. However, the film garnered intense scrutiny from critics despite performing marginally well at the box office. In recent years, it has emerged as somewhat of a cult gem and Gibson’s multi-faceted performance has come to be appreciated as well as Patrick Stewart‘s sinister turn as the movie’s villain. Want to read about more underrated roles from iconic actors? Here’s our pick of 5 Russell Crowe movies that deserve more recognition.
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