Gibson has kept a low profile with just a handful of small acting roles since his 2006 arrest in Malibu for drunk driving, after which he apologized for launching a diatribe against Jews and sought treatment for alcoholism.

Now, his new war drama "Hacksaw Ridge," out in theaters on Friday, is winning the warmest reviews since his 1995 Oscar-winning movie "Braveheart."

The film was screened at the Academy of Motion Pictures in Beverly Hills, and on Sunday, Gibson will be named best director at the Hollywood Film Awards - the start of the road to February's Oscars.

"Hacksaw Ridge," is based on the true story of Desmond Doss, a pacifist army medic who served on the frontlines in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 without ever touching a gun, and was awarded a Medal of Honor for his service.

Its portrayal of unshakeable faith, men under pressure and graphically violent battle scenes has all Gibson's hallmarks, and has a 96 percent approval rate on review aggregator RottenTomatoes.com.