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Last week I got to do something I’ve wanted to do for a long time: have an in-depth talk about filmmaking with Mel Gibson. While I’ve been a fan of Gibson’s for what feels like my entire life from his work in Mad Max and Lethal Weapon, I’m even more impressed by his talent behind the camera. As the director of The Man Without a Face, Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ, Apocalypto and his latest film, Hacksaw Ridge, Gibson has shown a keen eye for staging action that’s easy to follow.

In his latest movie, Hacksaw Ridge, Gibson tells the true story of Desmond Doss, a conscientious collaborator and Army medic who refused to bear arms during World War II, but ended up saving 75 men during the bloodiest battle of the war without firing a single bullet. Written by Robert Schenkkan, Andrew Knight, and Braveheart scribe Randall Wallace, it’s an incredibly well made film that doesn’t shy away from showing what really happens in war while also paying tribute to a man that did something next to impossible. While many of us love superhero movies, Hacksaw Ridge is about a real hero. It’s absolutely worth seeing this weekend in theaters. The film stars Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss and the rest of the great cast includes Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths, and Vince Vaughn.

During my extended video interview with Gibson we talked about how it took a while for him to agree to make the film, what changed during the development process, his love of digital filmmaking, how the film industry has changed since he made Braveheart, the way he crafts his action set pieces, who he trusts for honest feedback (it used to include Ridley and Tony Scott), his original cut of Braveheart, what films he might direct in the future, and so much more. Trust me, if you’re a fan of Mel Gibson’s movies, I’m very confident you’ll enjoy this interview.

Watch what he had to say in the player above and below you’ll find a list of everything we talked about.