So, let’s talk about Mel Gibson. His screen presence has always had this interesting duality: he can convey grief with real weight, that haunted look, the tight shoulders, eyes just trying not to let you in, and at the same time radiate a kind of roguish charm, a swagger and wit that makes you root for him. You feel him carrying burdens and still cracking wise. That’s a rare combo.
And no, we won’t shy away from the fact that his off-screen life and controversies, including publicly documented incidents of bigotry, violence, and self-destruction, cast a very long shadow over his work. It complicates how we watch his films and how we value them.
But with that in mind, flaws and all, let’s dive into some of his best films, giving love where it’s due and pointing out both what works and where things trip up. We’ll highlight his best films in-front and behind the camera.
1. Braveheart (1995)
Let’s start with the obvious. Braveheart isn’t just Mel Gibson’s crown jewel; it’s the movie that cemented him as both a commanding director and a leading man with emotional weight. As William Wallace, Gibson gives a performance that swings between tenderness and ferocity. His ability to make grief feel personal, like the wordless scene when Wallace finds his wife’s ribbon, still lands like a punch to the chest. Gibson’s direction is grand, visceral, and somehow poetic in the mud and blood of medieval Scotland. Sure, historians may squirm, but cinematically, Braveheart roars with heart and fury.
2. Mad Max Trilogy (1979–1985)
Before freedom cries and face paint, there was the wasteland. The Mad Max trilogy, especially The Road Warrior, turned Gibson into a global icon. He doesn’t talk much, but he doesn’t need to. Every grimace and twitch tells the story of a man barely clinging to his humanity. George Miller’s scrappy, kinetic filmmaking meets Gibson’s raw physicality, creating something wild and mythic. The first film has that grindhouse grit, the second an operatic scope, and the third (Beyond Thunderdome) leans into camp. After all, who doesn’t want to see Mel square off against Tina Turner in a metal cage?
3. Signs (2002)
Mel Gibson makes that pivotal moment in Signs feel painfully human. When his character realizes he’s about to lose his wife, the emotion doesn’t come from melodrama — it’s in the flicker of disbelief, the forced steadiness in his voice, and the way he holds himself together for her sake. He wears the kind of grief that comes in waves you can’t stop, only swallow. What could have been a far-fetched plot twist — his wife’s final words later holding the key to survival — becomes something profound because Gibson makes us believe it. His heartbreak gives the story its soul, turning a narrative contrivance into a moment of quiet, devastating faith.
4. Lethal Weapon 1 + 2 (1987, 1989)
Riggs and Murtaugh. Chaos and calm. Cigarettes and sarcasm. Gibson’s Martin Riggs is a manic, grief-stricken cop who somehow makes self-destruction charming. The first Lethal Weapon film is pure buddy-cop gold: funny, gritty, and unexpectedly emotional. The second ups the energy, tightens the humor, and gives Gibson more room to explore Riggs’s haunted side. His chemistry with Danny Glover is lightning in a bottle, and together they basically defined the genre. It’s proof that Gibson could do dark comedy and heartbreak at the same time and make it look effortless.
5. Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
One of the strongest war films of the 21st century, Hacksaw Ridge shows Gibson’s evolution as a director. He doesn’t act here, but his sensibility is felt in every shot. The battle sequences are harrowing, chaotic, gory, and hauntingly beautiful, but it’s the spiritual conviction that makes the film stand out. Andrew Garfield’s Desmond Doss, a medic who refuses to carry a weapon, embodies Gibson’s fascination with courage rooted in conviction. It’s a story about faith and violence told by a man who understands both a little too well.
6. Apocalypto (2006)
Another Gibson-directed film, and one that proves he doesn’t need English to make you feel something. Set in the waning days of the Mayan civilization, Apocalypto is an adrenaline-fueled chase movie disguised as a historical epic. Gibson’s camera never blinks; it sprints, bleeds, and sweats with its protagonist. The decision to use Yucatec Maya dialogue grounds it in authenticity, but the storytelling is pure Gibson: violent, spiritual, and obsessed with the endurance of humanity.
7. The Patriot (2000)
If Braveheart was medieval rebellion, The Patriot is its Revolutionary War cousin, complete with noble speeches, battlefield chaos, and one-liners about freedom. Gibson’s Benjamin Martin is a widowed father turned guerrilla fighter, torn between pacifism and vengeance. His scenes with Heath Ledger crackle with genuine paternal warmth, which makes the heartbreak sting harder. Yes, it’s historically questionable (again), but it’s also pure cinematic comfort food. You know when he picks up that flag, someone’s going to regret crossing him.
8. Gallipoli (1981)
Before he was a superstar, Gibson gave one of his most affecting performances in Peter Weir’s Gallipoli. As Frank Dunne, an Australian sprinter drawn into the chaos of World War I, he channels youthful bravado that slowly erodes into shock and sorrow. The movie doesn’t need explosions or speeches; its heartbreak sneaks up quietly, culminating in an ending that will ruin your day. Gibson’s chemistry with Mark Lee makes the tragedy feel painfully human. This is where we first see his gift for communicating grief without words, a skill that would define his later career.
9. The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Directed by Gibson, this is easily his most controversial work and arguably his most personal. It’s not an easy film to watch, but it’s a masterclass in visual storytelling. Gibson’s direction is relentless and reverent, using silence and suffering to make the audience feel the physicality of faith. You can debate the choices, but not the craftsmanship. He doesn’t star, yet his directing fingerprints are on every frame. This is Gibson the believer, the provocateur, and the artist all wrestling on screen.
10. We Were Soldiers (2002)
Here Gibson channels quiet leadership rather than rage. As Lt. Col. Hal Moore, he plays a man who leads from the front and bleeds with his men. The film balances battlefield intensity with domestic emotion, showing how the Vietnam War hit both home and heart. Gibson’s performance is restrained but deeply human. He nails that balance of authority and empathy, turning what could have been a stock war hero into someone real.
11. Hamlet (1990)
Gibson doing Shakespeare might sound like a stretch, but under Franco Zeffirelli’s direction, it works. His Hamlet is furious, tender, and surprisingly physical, more warrior than scholar. He leans into emotion over elegance, giving us a version of the Danish prince that feels raw and modern. You may not get iambic perfection, but you do get a performance that bleeds humanity.
12. The Bounty (1984)
A forgotten gem that pairs Gibson with Anthony Hopkins in a retelling of the Mutiny on the Bounty. Gibson plays Fletcher Christian, torn between loyalty and rebellion, and he holds his own against Hopkins’ volcanic Captain Bligh. It’s a slow-burning drama about power and moral conflict, and Gibson’s layered performance hints at the contradictions that would later define his best work.
13. Maverick (1994)
Gibson lightens up here, playing a charming gambler opposite Jodie Foster in a Western comedy that leans on his easy charisma. It’s pure fun, full of smirks, bluffs, and slick showdowns. You can tell Gibson’s having a blast, and that energy keeps the film breezy. It’s not profound, but it’s proof that he can carry humor just as confidently as heroism.
14. Chicken Run (2000)
Gibson voices a rooster in this stop-motion animated film. And yes, it’s fantastic. Chicken Run is witty, oddly touching, and cleverly British. As Rocky the American rooster who helps chickens escape a pie factory, Gibson delivers the perfect mix of cocky and likable. It’s one of his lighter performances, but it works because even in voice-only form, he radiates that mischievous charm.
15. Blood Father (2016)
This smaller, gritty thriller feels like a confession of sorts. Gibson plays an ex-con trying to save his estranged daughter from cartel trouble, and the parallels between the character and Gibson’s public image are impossible to ignore. He’s older, rougher, but still magnetic. The movie isn’t polished, but it’s honest, a raw, scrappy reminder that he can still hold a screen with sheer presence.
