As Editor and Publisher, I have final say on all content. My decision to edit was based purely on aesthetics and substance rather than politics. Shortly after I published the review, I read it again. That sentence seemed a non-sequitur. I cut it out purely to make the review flow better because I didn’t really find any other instances in the film of noteworthy social commentary on which to construct a meaningful argument.

In addition, some critics felt obliged for obvious reasons to comment on Mel Gibson’s public image. I am not so much interested in the lives of actors. I try to keep reviews about what’s up there on the screen. While it’s tempting to use that line as a springboard for a thesis on Mr. Gibson’s penchant for unhinged machismo in his roles and films, that has little to do with the analysis of the film.

There’s also an incongruous, recurring theme of one or another character saying, “Everything’s illegal in Massachussetts”—perhaps a thinly-veiled reference to same-sex marriage rights in the state.

I saw the movie, and was looking for a reference online to the “Everything’s illegal in MA” line, and Google still has it cached. I personally didn’t connect it to same-sex issue. It does look however that you or someone caved to the PC Police on this edit. Geez.

-GH