Mel Gibson's Santa dispenses justice in Fatman (review)

<p>Mel Gibson playing Santa fending off an assassin sent by a spoiled brat who got coal for Christmas is a premise as absurd as it is entertaining. Fatman, the latest in a series of thematically similar roles for Gibson, delivers on both the entertainment and the absurdity while also taking itself more seriously than we might expect.</p> <p>We live in what has been described as a "therapeutic culture" in which all evil is psychologized away in terms of childhood trauma. In Gibson's countercultural Chris Cringle we have a father figure who understands and compassionates the childhood wounds of his adversaries, yet insists that wicked deeds require retribution both for justice's and for the evildoer's own sake.</p> <p>Watch this discussion on YouTube: <a href= "https://youtu.be/CEBbIUBD-hs">https://youtu.be/CEBbIUBD-hs</a></p> <p>This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! <a href= "http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio">http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio</a></p> <p>Join our Facebook group if you wish to discuss these films with us! <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/CatholicPods" target= "_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href= "http://www.facebook.com/groups/CatholicPods">http://www.facebook.com/groups/CatholicPods</a></p> <p>Music is The Duskwhales, “Take It Back”, used with permission. <a href="https://theduskwhales.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener" data-cke-saved-href= "https://theduskwhales.bandcamp.com/">https://theduskwhales.bandcamp.com/</a></p>