Get The Gringo/How I Spent My Summer Vacation

MrStuffins

Did a quick search for this and didn't find a thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGKfF6d8TH8

Any thoughts on this? I just can't look at Old Mel Gibson these days and see anything other than a nutty Anti-Semite, which is a shame because when he was at his best (like in the Lethal Weapon franchise) is was awesome!

He's been such a prolific director that i'm surprised he's still trying to be a movie star. Being a nutter suits his directing, with directing the nuttier the better!

Also, anyone know why this is called "Get the Gringo" in the states but "How I Spent My Summer Vaction" here? The latter is one of the worst movie titles i've ever heard.

JP Liz V1

Reminds me of Payback

Hande hoche!

Looks good enough. Will probably end up going to see it.

Gonna keep this short as on my phone atm. Had the opportunity to get a sneak peek at this and I must say that I rather enjoyed it. From what I'd read of the film I expected a far different film than the one I got. I went in expecting something like The Man Without a Face but instead got a pulpy crime thriller that is very much the spiritual sequel to Payback.

I'm assuming that Gibson tried to get the rights to the Donald E. Westlake novels but with Parker coming out in the next year he was unable to do an official follow up to Payback and decided to hell with it and made the film anyways. Gibson co wrote the script and financed the film himself and it's clear that he enjoyed the hell out of it.

The film has all the trademarks of Gibson at his finest, there's plenty of violence, dark humour, a central character who doesn't care if he lives or dies and Mel just having fun with the material. The story is nothing groundbreaking but there's plenty of humour, the characters are likable, the location is unique, the action is well handled and there's plenty of it. There's also the scene where Gibson impersonates Clint Eastwood, which alone is worth the price of a cinema ticket

This is not a film that's going to be remembered in years to come as a classic but for what it is, Get the Gringo is a thoroughly enjoyable action film that deserves a far wider audience that it's ever likely to get. It's a shame the film is bypassing theaters in the US as given a wide release this could go a long way to redeeming Gibson. That said, far as I'm concerned Gibson can tarnish his reputation as much as he wants as long as he continues to put his money where his mouth is and produce/star in films as much fun as this one is. After all, judge the art not the artist.

Mickeroo

Deleted User wrote: »

Gonna keep this short as on my phone atm. Had the opportunity to get a sneak peek at this and I must say that I rather enjoyed it. From what I'd read of the film I expected a far different film than the one I got. I went in expecting something like The Man Without a Face but instead got a pulpy crime thriller that is very much the spiritual sequel to Payback.

I'm assuming that Gibson tried to get the rights to the Donald E. Westlake novels but with Parker coming out in the next year he was unable to do an official follow up to Payback and decided to hell with it and made the film anyways. Gibson co wrote the script and financed the film himself and it's clear that he enjoyed the hell out of it.

The film has all the trademarks of Gibson at his finest, there's plenty of violence, dark humour, a central character who doesn't care if he lives or dies and Mel just having fun with the material. The story is nothing groundbreaking but there's plenty of humour, the characters are likable, the location is unique, the action is well handled and there's plenty of it. There's also the scene where Gibson impersonates Clint Eastwood, which alone is worth the price of a cinema ticket

This is not a film that's going to be remembered in years to come as a classic but for what it is, Get the Gringo is a thoroughly enjoyable action film that deserves a far wider audience that it's ever likely to get. It's a shame the film is bypassing theaters in the US as given a wide release this could go a long way to redeeming Gibson. That said, far as I'm concerned Gibson can tarnish his reputation as much as he wants as long as he continues to put his money where his mouth is and produce/star in films as much fun as this one is. After all, judge the art not the artist.

How on earth were you expecting a Man Without a Face style movie from the trailers and posters for this?

How come it's not getting a theatrical release in the states?

Might give it a look, I've actually liked Gibson in his last few movies (Beaver and Edge of Darkness) even if the films themselves weren't as good as I'd hoped.

MJ23

Downloaded it this morning. Might watch it tonight. Looks good.

Mickeroo

Mickeroo wrote: »

How on earth were you expecting a Man Without a Face style movie from the trailers and posters for this?

Based on the synopsis I had read it seemed to be less an action film and more about the relationship between Gibson's character and a younger kid. I don't bother with trailers as far too often these days the entire plot is given away. Watching the trailer for Argo yesterday I was disappointed to see what is obvious a major scene toward the end being shown in the trailer.

Mickeroo wrote: »

How come it's not getting a theatrical release in the states?

The Beaver was a massive failure in the US, don't think it broke 1 million in US cinemas and with Gibson's recent media profile I imagine that theater chains aren't willing to take the risk on an independent film starring a Hollywood pariah and no other names.

Shame as it's a great piece of cinema and Mel hasn't been this good since Maverick. It's clear that he is having a hell of a lot of fun. Really have to respect the man for putting his money where his mouth is and financing the film. Far too many film makers such as Clint Eastwood moan about how hard it is to raise the money to make the films they want while people like Gibson just pour their own money into the projects they care about.

Debuting on VOD in the US isn't as big a failure as it once was, a lot of smaller films are available on VOD weeks before they get a theatrical release and as Gibson said recently, some people just like to watch a film in their own home. And with the cost of a cinema ticket these days, a few friends or a family paying 12 dollars to see Get the Gringo is a cheap nights entertainment.

BopNiblets

Spot on Darko, I had a look and it is like Payback mixed with season 3 of Prison Break
They even have Bob Gunton from Shawshank Redemption and Peter Stormare (unfortunately underused) from Prison Break Season 1 to give it the feel of a good prison movie!
It would have been cool if he had the same Marines tattoo from Payback as a nod though.

Deleted User wrote: »

Shame as it's a great piece of cinema and Mel hasn't been this good since Maverick.

I though he was good in Edge Of Darkness

BopNiblets

BopNiblets wrote: »

I though he was good in Edge Of Darkness

He was very goofmd in it but it was serious Mel, here we get wise cracking, having some fun Mel and the last time he was so obviously just enjoying himself was in Maverick. His performance is just a joy to watch, hes there not tor a paycheck but because he loves to act and cares for the role.

krudler

Deleted User wrote: »

He was very goofmd in it but it was serious Mel, here we get wise cracking, having some fun Mel and the last time he was so obviously just enjoying himself was in Maverick. His performance is just a joy to watch, hes there not tor a paycheck but because he loves to act and cares for the role.

I love Maverick, total guilty pleasure movie, and Gibson is great in it.

Mickeroo

Watched this over the weekend and I enjoyed it. Would agree with what Darko said, Gibson is having heaps of fun in this. Its very much a sequel to Payback in spirit at least, violent and darkly funny. It seemed fairly so-so at first but it goes into overdrive in the last act. A damn fine shoot-out too, nice to see plenty of squibs getting used.

The Clint impression was pretty funny too.

TerrorFirmer

Watched this last night. Have to say that it is, hands down, the worst thing I've seen in years. I know this isn't just me; I was watching it with three others who all absolutely hated it; and I have an extremely good tolerance for bad/sub-par/underwhelming movies in general, but this was just simply awful beyond words.

The acting is actually perfectly fine, and about the only thing going for this movie, but everything else was terrible. Awful characters, ridiculous story - I've seen more credible sci-fis lately - it all, as a package, works for some films, even complements some, but here, it's just an abysmal mess that I would consider, quite frankly, the worst movie I've seen in 2012 and quite easily 2011 also if I stop to consider what that year brought me.


I would award it a 2/10 if I was to be generous. And I really wanted to like it, I just couldn't.

Fishooks12

Thought this was pretty awful, like fast five I was lured in by positive reviews and spat out the other end feeling like someone touched me with something dirty. Avoid!