By Michaela Gordoni
Mel Gibson and Andrew Garfield know the difficulty of walking on higher ground.
“To make the higher choice, you suffer for it,” Gibson told Movieguide® previously. “It’s an interesting thing.”
Garfield’s character in HACKSAW RIDGE does this by refusing to kill or carry a weapon as a combat medic in WWII, which he was criticized for. He also saves the enemy.
Garfield experienced something similar when he had a “choice of either being like or being myself and being…accepted into that the community or society that I happened to be within or be exiled for being true to who I was and my own core values and obviously the choice you hope you make is this one [the higher choice]. But it’s bloody difficult,” he told Movieguide®.
He explained that it seems like a sacrifice, but ultimately, it’s not.
“It all comes out in the wash, and the truth comes out, and those people catch up and get what you were doing,” he explained.
Part of Movieguide®’s review of HACKSAW RIDGE, which is directed by Gibson, reads, “Brilliantly directed by Mel Gibson, HACKSAW RIDGE is a captivating movie about uncompromising faith and miraculous courage. It will make you laugh and cry. It’s a story about not compromising one’s values, faith and commitment to God, and about standing firm when others try to force you to compromise.”
“Eventually, Desmond’s courage and heroic commitment to Jesus Christ changes hearts and minds. HACKSAW RIDGE is truly a great movie, but there’s lots of strong, bloody violence and some foul language; so, strong caution is advised,” it continues.
Gibson wanted to direct HACKSAW RIDGE because he was moved by the true story of Desmond Doss, his love for others and his bravery.
“What he did was the greatest act of love there is,” Gibson told The LA Times. “That’s why I call this movie a love story, not a war story.”
Garfield said, “I found him saving the Japanese as well deeply moving. He didn’t see skin color. He didn’t see the opposition as a threat in a weird way.”
“It was just a man in pain, no matter the uniform. There was a moment that didn’t fit in with the story where a sniper has his eyes on Desmond but gets killed before he pulls the trigger. And Desmond has this feeling, ‘Why him and not me?’ He did not prize his life above anyone else, even the guy trying to kill him.”
HACKSAW RIDGE is now available to stream on Angel.
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