I don’t know how he does it, but Mel Gibson’s writing and comic timing have the ability to make me grin more often and more widely than most actors working today. And his new trailer for GET THE GRINGO (previously called HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION) is no exception, with the right amount of light absurdity and incongruity between the narration and action to tickle my action-comedy fancy. I found EDGE OF DARKNESS to be a bit bland and uninspired, though I more blame Martin Campbell for that than Gibson, but either way this is a welcome tonal change to me indeed.
Oh, and if you’re worried as to why GET THE GRINGO is skipping cinemas and going straight to DirecTV? Harry over at Ain’t It Cool News said in his review that this has as much to do with how hard the violence becomes as anything else. “When shit goes violent… it’s hard core. There’s a reason Mel’s wanting to skip theatrical… This becomes a very hard film. The kind of film that we love when he does, but that isn’t necessarily always given the happy story at the box office… But this is exactly the kind of Mel Gibson film I love. Cold, Hard & Brilliantly Badass.” Suits me perfectly!
If GET THE GRINGO had a midnight showing I’d be first in line with bells on, but in lieu of being able to do so I suppose I’ll have to settle for taking over my friend’s couch and catching GET THE GRINGO on DirecTV May 1st.