Gibson still larger than life

Film review: Blood Father

MANILA, Philippines - Mel Gibson is not a dashing romantic lead or a tough action hero in his latest starrer, Blood Father. He is scruffy and heavily bearded John Link, an ex-convict who earns his keep from a tattoo parlor out of his big trailer. When his estranged daughter, Lydia (Erin Moriarty), phones him to ask for help after getting enmeshed in a Mexican drug cartel, John comes to her rescue, at all cost.

Beneath all that ruggedness and brave demeanor, John is undoubtedly a caring father. Never mind if he’s a recovering alcoholic. Even if he hasn’t seen his daughter for years and he wasn’t around while she was growing up, he wants to make sure she will be ultimately safe from the bad guys immediately after they reconnected.

At the helm of Blood Father is French director Jean-Francois Richet, who worked on the script by Peter Craig, based on the novel of the same title written by the latter.

Expectedly, Mel is larger than life in his John Link role in Blood Father. His acting talent and good looks arguably soared throughout the film. He carried the entire, 88-minute caper with his solid performance. Never mind if his forehead is lined, Mel still rules in front of the cameras so that the action scenes in the film undoubtedly thrill the viewers.

Disappointingly, however, is the young actress who played his daughter. Erin is simply just a pretty face and her acting failed to match up to the veteran actors who are also in the film.

The motorcycle scene, where John and his daughter get chased by goons in a desert road, reminds viewers of Mel’s young and brave Max Rockatansky character in his Mad Max films in the ’80s. John’s personal rage as a father gets evident in his unconditional effort to protect his teenage daughter.

William Macy and Michael Parks may not have the stellar status as Mel has, but their portrayals in Blood Father are memorable. If only for their marked roles, you remember them long after you’ve left the theaters. That only proves how brilliant actors they are.

Blood Father is a hard action thriller that incorporates strong violence and harsh language of the characters into the tight story. The film premiered at Cannes, France last May and was shown in the US last August. The disappointing box-office results registered by Jean Francois Richet’s English film will be remembered, as far as Mel’s track record is concerned.

Next year, expect Mel to ignite the big screen anew when he stars in Professor and the Madman, with fellow Oscar winner, Sean Penn.