Luke Bracey Of "Hacksaw Ridge" Tells Us What It's Like To Work Near Mel Gibson And Flamethrowers

This one's not for the faint of heart.

For almost two decades, the opening of Saving Private Ryan has stood as the standard-bearer for brutal, wartime violence in cinema. Honestly, I don't think any of us thought it would be topped. How could it?

Leave it to director Mel Gibson - back from the wilderness, with a very woolly beard, after ten years away - to produce an even more visceral and gruesome film experience.

Hacksaw Ridge marks Gibson's first picture as a director in a decade, and, like his previous efforts, it has faith and violence intersect in spectacular, sometimes punishing fashion.

It stars Andrew Garfield as real-life war hero Desmond Doss, who refused to carry a gun during the vicious Battle of Okinawa because of his religious beliefs - but still managed to save 75 souls while under enemy fire.

Shot in Sydney, the picture features numerous Australian talents alongside Garfield and Vince Vaughn (playing Doss' bellicose drill sergeant), including Hugo Weaving, Teresa Palmer and Sam Worthington.

One of those Aussie up-and-comers is Luke Bracey, formerly of Home and Away and the recent star of the Point Break remake.

We caught up with Luke ahead of the film's release to talk about his character Smitty, whether or not it was daunting to come work for Mel Gibson and what it was like to film those bloody action sequences.

"There's not so much acting going on when you've got actual explosions going off next to you and you feel the heat from the guy with the flamethrower who's 50 yards from you."

Listen to our chat below.