It would seem these days that we judge celebrities more on the scandal they are causing rather than the talent (if any) which got earned them their celebrity status to begin with. This currently seems to be very much the case for Mel Gibson, the former Hollywood golden boy whose volatile temperament and less than advisable comments regarding anyone who goes against his questionable world views. Still Gibson is still and for the most part of his career has always been a highly watchable actor and it’s something he has clearly set out to remind us of once more here.

Opening with Driver (or atleast that’s what we assume his name to be especially as it’s only revealed in the credits) driving full speed towards the Mexican border, a dufflebag of cash and a clown dying of a gunshot wound in the backseat, as the gruff voice over of Driver suddenly kicking in to bring us up to speed, while confirming that we are not just watching the latest Gibson scandal.

After failing to Evel Knievel his car into Mexico, he now finds himself captured by the corrupt Mexican authorities, more than happy to relieve him of his loot, while also throwing him in a prison. Meanwhile mob boss Frank (Peter Stormare) is hot on his tail and willing to do anything to reclaim the loot for himself. Playing almost like a spiritual sequel to “Payback” Driver like Porter is a man who starts out with nothing, but soon manages to find a way to get exactly he needs, which is certainly made a lot easier by the prison he is sent to. Looking more like a replica of Tijuana’s El Pueblito and as such looks more like a slum than anything resembling the traditional idea of a prison, especially with the convicts being allowed to set up their own society within the walls of the prison complete with shops, restaurants and even a smack hut, as they provide a trade for everything the local population might need. Needless to say it’s only a matter of time before Driver has the prison sized up and is soon making plans to escape, by getting in with the prisons top dog Javi (Daniel Gimenez Cacho), while picking up an unlikely sidekick with an unnamed 10 year old (Kevin Hernandez) who while continually adding to his nicotine addiction is also plotting his own revenge against Javi.

A prison break slash revenge thriller, this film is hard to place in any one category, especially with the script playing loose and fast with the genre conventions, as Driver double crosses and blasts all who stand in his way, though compared to some of the criminal element in this prison he still seems almost saintly in comparison. Needless to say the plot plays out like a pulp crime novel, with the occasional burst of violence to shake things up.

Still if anything it has to be said that it is nice to see Gibson back to the sort of badass role which gave him his acting break to begin with and unquestionably the roles for which he is best remembered and it’s perhaps because of the current scandals which surround his name and in turn any mainstream project he is attached to, that Gibson has chosen to make a film which will appeal more to his core fanbase, who remember him more fondly for the likes of “Mad Max” and “Lethal Weapon”, than some of his more forgettable projects. To ensure maximum control Gibson also wrote and produced the film, while also promoting his assistant director of choice Adrain Grunberg whom he previous worked with on both “Apocalypto” and “Edge of Darkness” to the directors chair. As a result this has all the feel of being a pet project for Gibson, especially with the lead role only being designed to emphasise all of the qualities which made him so popular as an actor to begin with such as his mad blue eyes and effortless charisma.

For his first feature Grunberg shows great confidence in the director’s chair as he is clearly aiming for breathless dynamism, while painting the film in hot reds and oranges and ensuring that the sense of danger is never far away. However were the film really comes into its own is with it’s action sequences from it’s opening high speed car chase shot using old school effects to the slow motion prison shootout, which see’s Grunberg drawing inspiration from finale of Sam Peckinpah’s “The Wild Bunch”, as he ensures that each bullet wound and explosion is enjoyed to its fullest.

The supporting cast are all fun in their various roles with Hernandez getting the smart ass balance just right, so that he doesn’t become yet another annoying smartass teen and provides a suitable if slightly random sidekick. Meanwhile the Stormare is in his usual drug snorting criminal role and sadly doesn’t get a huge amount of screentime, but is still fun pulling out his usual performance for this kind of role, which he has spent most of his career playing. Cacho however it could be argued is far from the most threatening of bad guys, especially when he uses his henchmen to enforce his will on the other inmates as he lounges around in his bathrobe, but when it comes to playing the system he proves a worthy opponent to someone like Driver, especially with so many games being played, while convincingly also pulling off his much darker side.

Sadly with Gibson’s popularity being on a downward spiral it is set to be released via Video On Demand under the title “Get The Driver”, while his international fans will get to enjoy it in the cinema under its international title “How I Spent My Summer Vacation”. Still with a role in the forthcoming “Machete Kills” it would seem that this might not quite be the swansong to Gibson’s career which many critics have already begun to hail it as.