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I’m a fan of Mel Gibson, the actor, and I’m not ashamed of it.  I don’t care about his off-screen antics and issues. I only care about his work on screen, and I don’t see how anyone can honestly argue that the man’s not a damn good actor in both dramatic and comedic roles. They can try, but they will fail. It’s been five years since he’s appeared on the big screen (Paparazzi) and seven since he’s been in the lead role (Signs), but 2010 looks to be the year that finally changes. Due later next year is The Beaver where he co-stars with Jodie Foster as a man who can only communicate via a beaver puppet her wears on his hand. There’s no way that will be anything less than awesome.

Before that though Gibson will be hitting screens this January in Edge of Darkness as a father enraged over his daughter’s murder. The film is a remake of very popular British mini-series involving murder, corporate conspiracies, and government cover-ups. Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) is directing with a script from William Monahan (The Departed). Few actors do ‘over the edge’ as well as Gibson, and as he showed in the excellent Ransom the man can be crazy/intense when it comes to people who’ve hurt his children. And that kid was still alive… Check out the new trailer for Edge of Darkness here.

That’s good stuff, and even though I’m getting kind of tired of Boston cop movies (do crime and corruption not happen in other cities?) I’m happy to hear a pretty good accent from Gibson. I’ve never seen the original mini-series, but I’ve heard nothing but great things about it. Campbell directed both so I feel fairly confident the level of quality can be maintained too. I would normally be concerned with Warner Bros.’s decision to release the movie in January, but as Paul Blart: Mall Cop and (the more topical) Taken have proven, the beginning of the year isn’t necessarily a dumping ground for cinematic turds anymore. The official synopsis is below.

Edge of Darkness is an emotionally charged thriller set at the intersection of politics and big business. Thomas Craven is a veteran homicide detective for the Boston Police Department and a single father. When his only child, twenty-four year-old Emma is murdered on the steps of his home, everyone assumes that he was the target. But he soon suspects otherwise and embarks on a mission to find out about his daughter’s secret life and her killing. His investigation leads him into a dangerous, looking-glass world of corporate cover-ups, government collusion, and murder – and to shadowy government operative Darius Jedburgh, who has been sent in to clean up the evidence. Craven’s solitary search for answers about his daughter’s death transforms into an odyssey of emotional discovery and redemption.”

What do you think about the trailer? Are you happy Gibson has returned to acting?