Hacksaw Ridge is this year’s must-see military movie

Mel Gibson has returned to the director's chair after a 10-year hiatus with the WWII epic "Hacksaw Ridge."

The film tells the tale of real-life Army medic Desmond Doss. Torn between his conscientious objection to violence and his desire to serve his country in its time of greatest need, Doss joined the Army as a medic but refused to carry a weapon.

Despite suspicion and contempt from his fellow soldiers, Doss repeatedly braved danger and even disobeyed orders to make sure his countrymen made it home alive. Doss received the Medal of Honor for his actions, one of only three conscientious objectors to ever do so.

Gibson is no stranger to the classic American war film, having previously starred in "We Were Soldiers" and "The Patriot." "Hacksaw Ridge" is the actor's first directing outing since 2006's "Apocalypto," but that film and 1995's "Braveheart" proved Gibson is right at home capturing epic battles on film.