Take a moment and feel some sympathy for Andrew Garfield, who has to act like he enjoys the company of Steroid Santa, aka Mel Gibson. These are photos from the Venice Film Festival photocall and premiere of Mel Gibson’s latest directorial effort, Hacksaw Ridge. This is actually the first film Gibson has directed in a decade, since 2006’s Apocalypto. Gibson directed Garfield in a starring role as a real-life historical figure. Garfield plays Desmond Doss, who was a conscientious objector during World War II. Doss was a Seventh Day Adventist and a medic who refused to carry or use a gun during the Pacific campaign, and Doss was the first conscientious objector to ever win a Medal of Honor. Gibson obviously thinks very highly of Doss, and when asked about the consideration of Doss as a “hero,” Mel said some words:

Real superheroes: “Desmond attributed his actions to a power greater than himself, and the difference between a real superhero and a comic-book superhero is that real superheroes didn’t wear any Spandex.”

Doss’ religious commitment: “It’s undeniable what the essence of Doss was: he was a man of great courage and strong conviction, and strong faith; to go into a battle zone like that – which the Japanese called it ‘steel rain’, with the artillery and lead flying around – to go into that armed with only your faith, your faith has to be strong in you. That’s an undeniable part of the story I found really inspiring.”

Whether he’s taking a side in America’s gun control debate: “The man who refuses to touch a weapon, and do something much higher than something as venal as killing in a war; it’s a very high calling … You have to love the warrior, and give him homage and honour him. I hope this film does that.”

[From The Guardian]

I’ll admit that I find the story of Desmond Doss compelling, inspiring and heroic as well. I can understand why people wanted to make this into a film, and it’s a nice reminder that there are real heroes in the world, heroes who don’t wear capes. But… Mel Gibson relates to Doss’s story and that irritates me. Mel Gibson thinks he’s been maligned as a man of faith, that he’s faced the slings and arrows of society and he too is martyred in a sense. And that’s just not the reality. The reality is that he verbally and physically abused Oksana Grigorieva and it had nothing to do with his faith.

PS… I didn’t see any photos of Mel’s young girlfriend at Venice. Hm.

Photos courtesy of WENN.