Lionsgate has unveiled the first trailer for director Mel Gibson's World War II drama Hacksaw Ridge, which marks Gibson’s first directorial effort since 2006’s Apocalypto. Based on a true story, the film stars Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss, a conscientious collaborator and Army medic who refused to bear arms during World War II, but ended up saving 75 men during the bloodiest battle of the war without firing a single bullet.

The film looks kind of incredible. Whatever you think of Gibson's character, he's an undeniably talented filmmaker, and to see him tackling this particular kind of subject matter is fascinating. But he's got a secret weapon here in Garfield, one of the best young performers working today who appears to be giving a show-stopping turn as Doss, one that could most certainly put him on the Oscar shortlist for Best Actor. Could the awards recognition extend to Gibson or the film itself? It's early yet, but the film is getting a prestigious bow at the Venice Film Festival next month, so we'll know soon enough if it's got the goods to back it up. For now, this trailer is incredibly promising and a refreshing twist on the "war drama" formula.


Check out the first trailer below. Written by Robert Schenkkan and Andrew Knight, the film also stars Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths, and Vince Vaughn.

Here’s the official synopsis for Hacksaw Ridge:

HACKSAW RIDGE is the extraordinary true story of conscientious collaborator Desmond Doss [Andrew Garfield] who, in Okinawa during the bloodiest battle of WWII, saved 75 men without firing or carrying a gun. He believed the war was just, but killing was nevertheless wrong; he was the only American soldier in WWII to fight on the front lines without a weapon. As an army medic, Doss single-handedly evacuated the wounded from behind enemy lines, braved fire while tending to soldiers and was wounded by a grenade and hit by snipers. He was the first conscientious objector to ever earn the Congressional Medal of Honor.

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Image via Lionsgate

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Image via Lionsgate

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