Mel Gibson returns to the big screen after a personal and professional hiatus of over seven years. His last starring role was in 2002’s We Were Soldiers. Many are hailing Edge Of Darkness as Gibson’s “comeback.”  So is it?  Meh. He is fine as a grief stricken Boston Detective, but he won’t be winning an award any time soon. There are a dozen actors that could have navigated this role equally well. That’s not knocking Gibson, but it’s a pretty  generic role.

Edge of Darkness veers into spoiler territory early, and often, and I don’t like to spoil movies, so here is a spoiler-free synopsis. Gibson plays Craven,  a single dad who goes to pick up his grown daughter from the train station. It is obvious he loves her very much. She seems slightly distant. Sensing something is wrong, he implores her to tell him what it is.  Shortly after they get home, she becomes seriously ill. Craven takes her to the hospital, but as soon as they reach the front door, his daughter is violently gunned down in front of him.

The rest of the movie concerns Craven trying to uncover the mystery behind his daughter’s death. It involves government conspiracies, shady political types, evil corporations, and unconscionable greed. Because Craven has no family left, his vengeance is of the reckless variety, which too often translates into over the top.

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Every year, there tends to be a common theme in most big-budget Hollywood films. Back in 2006, magicians were a big hit, as in both The Illusionist and The Prestige. We haven’t even hit 2010 yet, but it looks like the theme for next year may just be Greek Mythology, between Clash of the Titans and Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief.

Though the name is WAY too long, this newest trailer actually makes the film look quite good, and even shows off the who’s who of a cast, from Rosario Dawson to Pierce Brosnon to Uma Thurman. The film is about a regular boy who finds out that he’s actually the son of a Greek God, and must then embark on an adventure which will help him earn his title as demigod.

The film is based on the series of books by Rick Riordan, and even has epic family film director Chris Columbus behind the wheel. The film hits theaters on February 12th, 2010, and you can check out the international trailer after the jump.

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Its been some time since I was interested in a movie featuring Mel Gibson. In the past, his work in movies like Mad Max, We Were Soldiers, Payback, Braveheart and the Lethal Weapon franchise showed that he knows how to play someone on the edge who does what’s necessary to get the job done. Plus, those characters weren’t afraid to kick some ass. Now, as seen in this new trailer for Edge of Darkness, it seems Gibson is returning to the kind of role that made me a fan of his in the first place.

In this new film, written by William Monahan and directed by Martin Campbell, Gibson plays a Boston detective whose daughter is killed when a hit targeted at him goes wrong. Of course, he’s not going to let that one go so he starts his own investigation to determine what happened. Once he digs deeper he discovers a larger conspiracy and that his daughter may have been the target of the hit all along. Plus, I’m sure he probably kicks a bit of ass along the way.

With the caliber of people involved including screenwriter Monahan, who’s recent work on The Departed is top notch, director Campbell who showed his action prowess with Goldeneye and Casino Royale and with Gibson seemingly returning to form in a role showcasing his talents and his dark side, this film looks pretty interesting. Although, it does remind me a bit of Liam Neeson in Taken, which could turn out well for this film seeing as how Taken did quite well.

Edge of Darkness hits theaters next January. Until then, be sure to click through and check out the trailer.

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