How I Spent My Summer Vacation / Get The Gringo (2012)

IMDb
Trailer...

Mel Gibson is back, but look—I’m not just out here making stuff up or recycling everyone else's takes... I actually took the time to sit down and dig into the who, what, where, and why of it all, laying out every single detail...

It might not seem like it at first glance—mostly because you’ve got Mel Gibson carrying the lead role here—but we're really looking at an action thriller drama... How I Spent My Summer Vacation So, looking at this project by director and co-writer Adrian Grunberg... it’s actually an indie-style, relatively low-budget flick, sitting around that $20 million mark. Part of the funding came straight from Gibson's Icon Productions, which means Gibson is also pulling double duty as a producer here. But honestly, acting and producing aren't even his only "roles" on this one—turns out he's also one of the screenwriters. It really looks like in recent years, despite all the drama in his personal life, Gibson has decided to jump back onto the big screen with everything he's got. We actually got a taste of that back in 2010 when we saw him in that thriller drama... Edge of DarknessAnd that was after a full seven-year hiatus... then he went on to film two more projects, including a comedy-drama... The Beaver and a short comedy film too... Brainstorm...A lot of us (myself included) were really banking on Edge of Darkness being this massive, high-octane comeback for Gibson into the action genre—but man, it just kind of fizzled out into a mediocre thriller... though I know some people are gonna jump down my throat about that one. But honestly, looking at everything... How I Spent My Summer Vacation This could really be Gibson's big chance to redeem himself—especially since the whole thing is being pitched as this wild, black comedy action flick. With Gibson leading the charge, we’re also going to see some other pretty legendary tough guys popping up in the cast... Peter StormareSo, we've got Dean Norris and Bob Gunton in the mix... pretty solid cast. The whole thing was shot out in Texas and Mexico, too. You also have to mention that this is actually the director's big debut behind the lens—though he definitely put in his time cutting his teeth as a first assistant director on projects like the ones mentioned before... Edge of Darkness I'm still here... just hanging out... turns out there wasn't much to say about that last one, was there? Anyway... back to the grind. ApocalyptoIt looks like you might have cut off there... what was that you were saying? Or maybe you just hit send too early—happens to the best of us. Anyway, I'm around if you want to pick up where you left off... Man on Fire I'm ready to go. Just send over the text you need me to work on. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the WorldThe Swedish premiere is set for April 13, 2012, followed by the Netherlands on June 14, 2012. As for when the American premiere actually hits... nobody knows just yet, though we do know it’ll be sometime during 2012—stay tuned... I don't even know where to start with this one... just total chaos.

All in all, it sounds like a fun little action-packed ride... just a total blast.

That thing above was just a teaser; the actual official trailer dropped yesterday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK2y_aJkJXM

They even changed the title, so now it's officially called 'How I Spent My Summer Vacation'. Interestingly enough, the movie isn't even going to hit theaters in America:

Quote: Now, we say box office, but from the sounds of the announcement picked up by Deadline, Gringo will be bypassing cinemas altogether in favour of a risky gamble with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment on Video-On-Demand and Blu-ray releases. It'll arrive, in the USA, at least, on DirecTV May 1 and then hit other US telly providers' VOD services once DTV's exclusive period is up. After that will come the usual disc/digital download opportunities.

😵

It's pretty obvious they're just trying to cash in, which feels a lot like No Country for Mel Gibson.

Caught that yesterday. Thanks for the update. Honestly, this whole obsession with getting revenge on Gibson is turning into straight-up soap opera nonsense... It’s a shame, too, because the movie actually looks like a blast.

So, we've got a new Mel Gibson flick on the horizon, but unfortunately, it won't be getting a theatrical run in the USA (honestly, what else can you expect from Hollywood studios that clearly have a thing for Roman Polanski). It’s an action-comedy where Mel plays this seasoned criminal who ends up stuck in a Mexican prison, where he strikes up a friendship with a young Mexican kid and his mom.







Just a heads-up, the movie was previously titled How I Spent My Summer Vacation.

TRAILER

Just a few lines below. 😬

Christian Taylor3 said:Just a few lines below. 😬

Man, I just spotted this one myself. 😢 My apologies to the mods—could you guys please merge this thread with the original one started by briskhound2?

It looks like Hollywood has decided to boycott Gibson, clearly...

It’s honestly their loss because this movie is just fantastic. Sure, we aren't exactly breaking new ground here, but goodness, there is something so charming about seeing a slightly more weathered, yet somehow even more hilarious Mel Gibson who looks like he is absolutely starving for screen time... bullets are flying everywhere, there’s a cigarette practically in every single frame, you've got heroin being kicked around, intense violence, torture, and plenty of gritty action; it is truly the perfect kind of flick to just switch your brain off and enjoy, especially paired with a solid script that keeps all that chaos tightly wound. I have to say, they really earned that R rating... though, to be fair, considering this is a low-budget production compared to those massive Hollywood blockbusters, they could have easily afforded to take that route. Just wonderful... what a wonderful little movie!

Started watching it last night, but I passed out. Not because the movie sucks—actually, the first 10 minutes were pretty fun—but because I was dead tired. Finishing it today. Right now.

Gibson’s charisma is undeniable. It really is. Despite being a fundamentally prosaic action flick with a few decent bits, Gibson—with all the sincere help from debut director Adrian Grunberg—managed to craft one of the better action movies in recent years. Everything is exactly where it needs to be. From the Mexican actors to Mel's Spanish, the cinematography follows the vibe of Scott's Man on Fire... Excellent, excellent, excellent. I'm satisfied. An 8/10 for me.

I wasn't even looking for much, but honestly? It turned out to be a truly great film.

It’s not quite on the level of Payback (same kind of vibe, really), but honestly? It's still more than watchable and actually pretty fun. If you're into those old-school 80s and 90s action flicks but want something with a slightly more modern feel, this hits the spot!

Great movie.

This movie is awesome! It seriously transported me right back to the 80s—in the best way possible. Such a fun ride.

He totally outdid Clint. 🤣

This movie is what's on the schedule for tonight.😉

From what I can see, you guys are really digging this movie, but honestly? I caught the trailer in the theater and it just didn't do it for me.

I absolutely love that intense look he gives 😍

silentcanyon58 said:It’s honestly their loss because this movie is just fantastic. Sure, we aren't exactly breaking new ground here, but goodness, there is something so charming about seeing a slightly more weathered, yet somehow even more hilarious Mel Gibson who looks like he is absolutely starving for screen time... bullets are flying everywhere, there’s a cigarette practically in every single frame, you've got heroin being kicked around, intense violence, torture, and plenty of gritty action; it is truly the perfect kind of flick to just switch your brain off and enjoy, especially paired with a solid script that keeps all that chaos tightly wound. I have to say, they really earned that R rating... though, to be fair, considering this is a low-budget production compared to those massive Hollywood blockbusters, they could have easily afforded to take that route. Just wonderful... what a wonderful little movie!

Exactly that
plus one to this, right?

I'd give it a 7/10; would've been higher if the second half (that last thirty minutes) was on the same level as the first part.

Rachel Ortiz33 said:Exactly that
plus one to this, right?

I'd give it a 7/10; would've been higher if the second half (that last thirty minutes) was on the same level as the first part.

Yeah, tell me about it... but I don't want to spoil too much because the ending is what really sends it soaring... I actually found myself scratching my head for a few moments trying to figure out that title... yeah. 🙂

I'm with you guys on this one. Nothing groundbreaking here, just solid action. It was a nice touch how LR linked the visuals back to Scott's film. Honestly though, the narration bugged me—I would’ve cut most of it. Especially that shitty, unnecessary patronizing at the end. It felt totally out of place with the rest of the movie, and I seriously hate when they feel the need to explain every little thing to you.

Never was a huge fan of Gibson, but you gotta admit, the guy’s got charisma. This had way more style and heart than The Expendables. In that one, you just have this untouchable cast acting like, "Oh look at us, having a blast doing old school stuff," and it feels forced as hell. Look, I love Dolph Lundgren, but what Gibson did here is better than that entire The Expendables crew combined.