Having put some painful personal issues behind him, Gibson is determined to get back to making movies. He has long wanted to make this film about heroic Jews, and it was discussed even when he was under fire after his drunken anti-Semitic rant during a 2006 Malibu arrest. Maccabee’s triumph and struggle against tyranny and oppression where people gave their lives so that others would be free to worship is celebrated by Jews all over the world through Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights.

I’m sure this is going to cause a lot of outrage in Hollywood, but I, for one, think it’s a great idea. (Cheap joke in 3…2…1…) After all, Jews have been making movies about Nazis for years. It’s only fair to let Mel take a crack at a movie about Jews.