Rating: 
Summary: A Bad History Lesson
Review: Director Roland Emmerich and Producer Dean Devlin? Do you recognize those names? They brought us Independence Day and Godzilla. Two of the worst movies of the nineties in my humble opinion. Now they are giving us a history lesson in the form of The Patriot. This movie has good sets, neat costumes, and good computer graphics. This movie does not have originality, good acting, or the convictions of it's own plotline. The movie is similiar to Braveheart, another Gibson movie. Again Gibson plays a man of peace turned savage when a loved one is murdered. As for the acting, forget it. Yes, Mel Gibson is a likeable screen presence, but he cannot carry this film. The rest of the actors are horrible, especially that broad who plays Heath Ledger's love interest. In thier defense, the actors can only do so much with bad dialogue and a hack director. If you want an intellingent historical movie, go for the 1989 movie Glory. If you want a Mel Gibson historical piece, watch Braveheart again.
Rating:
Summary: Mad Max meets Cornwallis
Review: It's hard to find the patriots in Patriot. Almost everyone involved in the center of the film are fighting the British out of self-interest, not for any higher motive. This is history written through the lens of late 20th century values. The dialogue is doggerel, and the acting marginal. As for the plot, well we have Gibson reprising his numerous revenge roles (see Mad Max, Revenge, Lethal Weapon, Braveheart, in short almost any Mel Gibson movie). His mastery of the genre is not in dispute, only it would be nice to see different characters as well as costumes. He mugs for the camera, angry here, sympathetic there, psychotic where required. Yet, almost no one in the film seems to want to fight for the independence of the colonies. There are slaves seeking freedom, there are low-lifes out for a fight, and looters emptying houses. The single exception is Heath Ledger's character and his wife, who are killed off two-thirds of the way through. This self-interest, along with the muddled family values, Gibson co-opts his children into killing within hours of citing his pacifism and concern for his family as reasons for not going to war, have all the hallmarks of current US politics, not an 18th century revolution. Patriot misses any chance to explore the revolution as a motivation for self-sacrifice. If that weren't enough, the movie is about an hour too long, overly sadistic, and gory. So while it fails as a historical drama, as a classic shoot-em and hack-em up movie it's fine.
Rating:
Summary: We deserve better
Review: This depiction of Revolutionary War figure Francis Marion has Epic written all over it - from its choice of Mel Gibson as its reluctant hero to its 2 hour and 45 minute length. The only problem is that its a bad movie - the characters are uninteresting and cartoonish and whitewashed to make it a "feel good" drama - how many times can you roll your eyes at its cliches, trite dialogue and sacharine tug at the heartstrings - well again, the movie is 2 hours and 45 minutes so the answer is Lots. While the director may have been attempting to make an action epic more on par with his other blockbusters - Independance Day and Godzilla - i feel this movie should be held to a higher standard unless you feel our nations history should be treated with the same level of gravity as aliens and giant radiactive lizards.
Rating: 
Summary: Controversial and Ideological
Review: There has been much controversy about this movie, and that alone should tell you it is worth seeing. The reason for this controversy though is the ideological stance the movie took. It is an endorsement of a ceretain viewpoint. This of course angers those who disagree with that viewpoint. By trying to recreate the times of the Revolutionary War, the filmmakers had to confront our nations heritage of guns and hunting, as well as deal honestly with the vagaries of a war waged among the civilian populace. This is a heritage that has become very unopular in certain demographic groups. Thus the cries of historical inaccuracy. While I am no history scholar, I know that there is little inaccuracy in the movie. The British were fond of opening naval gunfire on towns that were considered disloyal, and I am sure that the church burning scene could be paralleled to some true event in the war. Enough of my views though, this movie is easily one of the five best I have ever seen. I pride myself on being able to guess plots, and this one had me guessing to the end. The acting was superb, and the character development was refreshingly rich. Mel Gibson has now been involved in two movies that resemble more the Golden Age of filmmaking than the current trends of cheap thrills. I own one movie, and it is this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Just decent
Review: While I am a huge fan of such epic movies, I was rather disappointed with this movie. This obvious Braveheart take off was completely unvelievable from a historical view and all the characters seem to be either entirely good or evil with no middle ground. Only purchase this film if you already have Braveheart, Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan, Last of the Mohicans and every other decent similar movie. Otherwise, this is a definite rent first film.
Rating:
Summary: Fully Packed DVD
Review: Awesome movie. Great SFX. Great story. You'll cheer for the heroes and cheer when the villain gets his due. DVD has 10 deleted scenes with optional commentary, getting an insight into why they removed them. The deleted scenes are shown in context of the moving giving the scene before and after. The Talent files are a little light, it didn't cover some of the minor characters who you look and say "where have I seen him before" The featurettes are more than just a behind the scenes mini-documentary. They show how and why they chose items in the movie. They show an actual uniforms from the Smithsonian and an actor commentating on a sweat stain on the jacket that it was from actual Revolutionary Solder.
Rating: 
Summary: Inaccurate yet enjoyable
Review: No it isn't Braveheart but it is still an enjoyable movie. If you can suspend belief for U-571 and all if it's inaccuracies then you should enjoy this. A good movie, not a great one. Gibson obviously isn't fond of your brethren across the "pond". Decent battle scenes - for as long as the movie is the characters could be better developed. Nice photography.Caveot: I am having problems getting Scenes 13-15 to play. I've returned the DVD once and the new DVD has the same problem. Don't have problems with any other DVD's (and I have dozens). Is anyone else having this tracking problem?
Rating:
Summary: The Patriot: A Balanced Picture of the American Revolution
Review: Customers, see The Patriot for yourself. Don't be misled by the fact that it was directed by Roland Emmerich, the director of Stargate and Independence Day. By the way, Stargate is under rated also-an excellent sci-fi flick light years better than the Phanthom Menace. The acting in The Patriot is excellent. Mel Gibson, similar the his turn in Braveheart, is a reluctant warrior who is forced by extreme circumstances to fight and fight brutally. Battle scenes are vivid, bloody and convincing. Benjimin Martin, Gibson's character, warns his friends what will happen when his part of the country (a beautifully photographed South Carolina or country standing in for it)gets involved in a war. Gibson's family are warm, humorous, Caleb Deschnagel's cinematography is burnished and the southern landscapes are fabulous to behold. Scene after scene are well-balanced and never boring. Emmerich has directed a major film on the subject of the American Revolution. There have been precious few in the film catalog that are not badly made. The Patriot shows a good picture of what it must have been like to live and fight in the eighteen century. It is a bold, exciting, thrilling movie. Forget all the negative critic reviews and see it for yourself and buy it. It is a wonderfully spun tale of freedom, war, revenge, love and family, and redemption. What could the movie lover want with all the fine qualities The Patriot has going for it? See and buy this film.
Rating:
Summary: Gone with some wind
Review: Is this an action film, or prime-time TV whitewash for the gullible masses? Director Roland Emmerich can't make up his mind, and neither will you. Mel Gibson is cast in the schizo role of the year, dutifully bouncing from family farmer to brutal rebel to sensitive father to military commander ... well, you name it, he plays a whole buncha characters all conveniently wrapped into one prototypical Early 'Mmerican. To his credit as an actor, Mel pulls it off with his usual aplomb, but the rest of the movie can't handle the abrupt transitions as smoothly as Mel can. Then there's the racial stereotyping. So reassuringly retro. So five-year-oldish. Guess what: the English are all really really bad people and ... and ... and really really dangerous fighters played by really really talented actors! Oh, oh, and the Americans are really really good people!! Gosh, gee, Mr. Wilson, you gotta see this movie, you just gotta!!! You can guess the rest: the Indians are nowhere in sight, the blacks fill in the background, and the lone Frenchman is a pompous geek. And together, they all lived happily ever after. If you believe all that, my friend, boy have I got some prime Florida real estate for you ....
Rating: 
Summary: worst movie of the year
Review: how can one movie be so bad? this movie is seriously in "Armageddon" territory. the dialogue, the character interplay and every single scene has been done so many times. the redneck racists being mean to the black man, who comes back with courage and dignity to ultimately win their respect. please, dont patronize me. this movie is what you get when you mix bad writing, bad directing and bad acting...well, you get the point. the only reason people compare this to braveheart is that gibson is in it. the movie is awful.
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