Mel Gibson's finest performances

At one point of time, Mel Gibson was among the biggest movie stars in the world.

We've watched Mel charm us with awesome action franchises like Lethal Weapon and Mad Max, do the rogue routine in films like Maverick, and even play the ultimate Sinatra-lovin' smooth operator in What Women Want.

And while those films cemented his status as one of America's top leading men, we chose instead to look at his best acting jobs.

While we await the fate of his latest movie, Edge of Darkness, which releases in India today, here then, in chronological order, are Gibson's five finest performances:

Tim

Based on the novel by Colleen McCullough (the Australian novelist best known for The Thorn Birds), this 1979 Michael Pate film features a developmentally disabled Gibson falling in love with an older woman, played by Piper Laurie.

Gibson shows a wonderful vulnerability in the film, his performance going on to get him a Best Actor trophy from the Australian Film Institute.

This 1981 war film, directed by Peter Weir, features Gibson and Mark Lee as Australian labourers drafted into the war and sent to the Gallipoli campaign in Turkey.

Gibson plays Frank Dunne, a labourer of Irish descent. He's a fast runner and a very reliable soldier, and Gibson brings great, disarming affability to the part.

Best known for Linda Hunt's spectacular performance as male dwarf Billy Kwan, this 1982 Peter Weir film featured Gibson as journalist Guy Hamilton.

Based on a novel by Christopher Koch, this love story saw Gibson as a serious, dedicated journalist, conflicted between love and duty.

Starring alongside experienced theatre greats like Alan Bates, Ian Holm and Paul Scofield, Gibson took on the titular hero's role in Franco Zeffirelli's 1990 Shakespeare adaptation.

Surrounded by a solid cast, Gibson rises to the occasion and performs quite admirably -- even using his action-hero roots when battling Laertes. A solid, impressive performance.

Directed by Gibson himself, this is the heavily and controversially dramatised story of Scottish warrior William Wallace.

Gibson swept the Oscars with the film winning Best Picture and Best Director, but it is really his performance in the lead role -- his rousing, evocative, impassioned portrayal -- that makes the film truly work.

This is a star taking control, and making it look very good indeed.