Mel Gibson’s ‘Force of Nature’ Hurricane Film Bashed on Twitter: “Too Soon and Tone Deaf”

Lionsgate debuted the trailer for their upcoming Mel Gibson film, Force of Nature, yesterday, but the clip is generating more criticism than excitement for the movie’s release on VOD. Critics on Twitter are arguing that not only is the plot problematic, but the stars of the film — Gibson and Emile Hirsch — are, as well.

Force of Nature follows Ray (Gibson), whose daughter, Dr. Troy (Kate Bosworth), is trying to convince him to leave his home because of a Category 5 hurricane raging outside. For help, she calls in the cops for backup, bringing in Cardillo (Hirsch), an officer who tries to reason with Ray and get him and the other members of his apartment complex to safety.

They soon find out that a group of thieves and their leader, John the Baptist (Dexter fans will recognize David Zayas), are plotting to break in during the hurricane in search of $55 million hidden in the complex, complicating Cardillo’s hopes of evacuation. So, Ray — who is a retired detective — and Cardillo team up to fight the gang and do whatever it takes to keep them from the money.

While the plot sounds like a typical Gibson action movie, the setting in Puerto Rico and the casting of two white actors fighting a Latino gang stirred up plenty of distaste for the film on social media. Twitter users also pointed out that both of the film’s “heroes” have their own unsavory pasts offscreen. Gibson has a history of anti-semitism and has been accused of domestic violence, and Hirsch was charged with assaulting a female film executive in 2015.

“Straight-to-streaming piece of shit stars an anti-Semitic, abusive racist who battered his ex-wife and a dude who went to jail for attacking and choking a woman,” one user wrote.

“What the ever living fuck is this? They did a movie about Hurricane Maria and is a blond American chick gunning down Puerto Rican drug dealers in… Condado?” another user tweeted, adding, “I am still laughing that the location for the scary drone shots and drug cartel shootouts is Condado, a ritzy, beach y San Juan neighborhood. This is like setting your gritty noir in Brooklyn’s Cobble Hill.”

Another user pointed out the parallels between the fictional hurricane in Force of Nature and Hurricane Maria, the storm that devastated Puerto Rico in 2017. “Umm a heist in the middle of a hurricane devastation in Puerto Rico with Mel Gibson saving the day? #ForceofNature feels too soon and tone deaf,” they wrote.  

Some users didn’t take issue with the film, and instead defended Gibson and his work. “Mel Gibson is a legend, a real talent. Very rare in Hollywood. Great actor and a magnificent director. I’m a Puertorican and not offended by Force of Nature. At all. Stop with the nonsense and the victim mentality,” one wrote.

“Looking forward to this. I love Mel Gibson movies,” another added.

Force of Nature comes to VOD and DVD/Blu-ray on June 30. Check out the full trailer in the video above, and see the controversy for yourself below: