Mel Gibson's last movie direction of the film "Apocalypto" was a successful, albeit controversial, tour-de-force in 2006. It took him ten long years to return to the limelight after a relative anonymity but "Hacksaw Ridge" has just earned him a Hollywood Director Award on November 6, 2016.

Just like "Apocalypto", the recent World War II film is rife with extreme violence and heroic drama. "Hacksaw Ridge" is almost reminiscent of the ruthless yet poignant themes from "Braveheart" (1995) and "Passion of the Christ" (2004).

Many have considered "Hacksaw Ridge" as 'the most violent mainstream war movie in years'. A report published by Escapist Magazine describes how the cruel but insightful movie has seemingly redeemed Mel Gibson from potential oblivion.

Although Mel Gibson has a reputation for presenting controversial subject matter, "Hacksaw Ridge" sports an agreeable perspective. In essence, it is a movie that most mainstream Western audience can easily connect.

Curiously, the entire creation of the movie also endured the same 'figurative' battles. An article published by Yahoo Movies underscores the sheer difficulty of the film's development. Apart from the death of their principal source (Desmond Doss) in 2006, the presiding producer Walden Media originally wanted to maneuver its entire full-length sequence into a child-friendly PG-13 category - ultimately defeating Gibson's intended dramatic essence.

"Hacksaw Bridge" depicts the story of Desmond Doss, a deeply religious and pacifist World War II medic who refused to carry a gun in action. He ultimately rescued 75 American soldiers in Okinawa's eponymous battlefield against seemingly impossible odds.

Despite Mel Gibson's propensity for violent films, he allegedly turned down the offer to direct the upcoming Iron Man 4. Robert Downey Jr. wanted Gibson to work with this blockbuster out of great respect for him.

Andrew Garfield of "The Amazing Spider-Man" films starred as Private Desmond Doss. Other co-stars include Sam Worthington, Vince Vaughn, and Luke Bracey.