The Patriot

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, not Historical
Review: Okay, there are a few true details in the story. Anyone ever heard of Francis Marion, the swamp fox, Martin's historical counterpart? And I believe there was actually a Tavington in the war. Anyway, there is one real reason to see this film: Jason Isaacs! A wonderful actor who has been overlooked, he is a deliciously evil baddie with some real human desires behind him- he has to win battles to regain his fortune. He has an extremely well-written part, and in my mind, Martin is more evil-after all, he forces his own young sons to become murderers. Its a bit slow in parts, and Isaacs steal the show, but its well worth a watch, even with all the stereotyping. For actors, its a workshop in character development.

Rating:
Summary: Patriotic Passion
Review: "The Patriot" has drawn fire for being overly broad and historically inaccurate (both true), but it tackles its story with such passion and energy, it can be forgiven its few shortcomings. Mel Gibson gives one of his strongest performances as the colonial patriarch torn between protecting his family and joining the fight for American independence. The battle scenes are harrowing and intense and Jason Isaacs' Colonel Tavington is the most hissable period villain since Tim Roth in "Rob Roy". "The Patriot" is a heartfelt, exciting Revolutionary War epic.

Rating:
Summary: When will Hollywood learn
Review: The patriot was another of Mel Gibson's typical "historical" movies, he leads some motley of men to fight a battle for honor and what have you. First off let me say that the title is a misnomer because the only people acting pout of patriotism in the movie (and in the actual war) by showing love to their country was the British, Mel gibson was motivated not by liberty but by revenge for his son's death. Like all movies on this topic the british were portrayed as evil, nazi-esque monsters intent on destruction. And the movie defames Liverpool's Local hero Col Tarleton (Col. Tavington in the movie). Also all the british shown in this movie were the British Legion or Green Dragoons and should have been wearing Green NOT RED! The movie plays on steretypes and misconceptions giving any viewers a false impression of the war. In addition to what the editor said, the war and all the surrounding politics are merely a backdrop for mel Gibson's unrealistic fighting and a bunch of special effects and hollywood magic. This is yet another movie that had great potential to entertain and teach but once again it provided miseducation and some flashy effects...

Rating:
Summary: Braveheart Comes Of Age
Review: One of my new favorite historical war movies. Mel is great in this flick as Benjamin Martin. [Yea, Martins!] A close remake of the Swamp Fox with a new twist. Like Gettysburg, its a male tear jerker. For anyone who as served his country, you can really empathize with these men. Watching it again and seeing the American Continental Line march up beside the militia with their red bordered uniforms, I now realize that they are supposed to be the Maryland troops and our ancestor, John Jarvis, may have been with them in the battles they were trying to represent. Once again special effects make canonballs do what they are supposed to do on the field of battle. The family story is just as important as ours is to us. If you've not watched this film in awhile, buy it, rent it, borrow it, but watch it one more time for Ole Glory!

Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful heart-wrenching tale of the Revolution
Review: The Patriot takes place in South Carolina in 1776. Mel Gibson plays the father of seven children, the oldest of whom, Gabriel, being played by Heath Ledger, wants to fight in the war with the Continental Army. His father, being a pacifist, is reluctant to let him go, but his mind is changed when a villinous British officer destroyes his home and kills one of his sons. Historical references, well-developed characters, great action scenes, and a sweet love story help to make this an exeptional movie. This beautiful tale of freedom in the midst of war and grief is a movie that you will want to watch again and again.

Rating:
Summary: American Braveheart
Review: If you liked Braveheart, but thought the ending was a downer, then get this dvd. It's the same movie, only Braveheart lives.

Rating:
Summary: Contrived Plot; Soap Opera Movie
Review: The plot has all the depth of a college freshman's fantasy. The film production is soap opera melodrama at its worst.

One example among hundreds: The patriot's son's wife (and everyone else in the village) has been burned to death in the church by the super-evil British officer. So by this time it is all too obvious that the plot can now dispose of the son too. And sure enough, even though the son has shot this super-villain at point blank range with a rifle, the guy is not only not dead but not even wounded (just like in the horror movies). And Mr. Evil rolls over and shoots the son who dies making closeup grimaces into the camera.

It is a poor highly over-contrived story plot. And it is poor film making. It is not worth wasting your money on it.

Rating:
Summary: It's a MOVIE - not a DOCUMENTARY!
Review: It seems, in reading many of these reviews, that the only way we Americans can learn anything is in movie form. What a sad statement about our educational system!

Is this movie historically accurate? No. Does it ever claim to be? No. Is it entertaining anyway? Yes.

This is a great story about a man torn apart by his own past, his passions, his beliefs, and his responsibilities. It is set against an intruiging backdrop in the form of the Revolutionary War. That's it.

Now if enjoying this movie means that I am an "uneducated" member of "middle America", fine! But I chose to get my knowledge about our great country out of history books, not historical fiction movies. There is a difference, and most of us do recognize that.

Rating:
Summary: Stirring and Heartwarming
Review: This epic tale of the Revolutionary War and it's affect on one man's family stars Mel Gibson as Benjamin Martin, "The Patriot," and costars Heath Ledger as his son.

The story opens in 1776, and South Carolinian Martin is arguing against war. He feels his priority is the safety of his family. However, when his fifteen-year old son, Thomas, is senselessly murdered by the odious red coat, Col. Tavington, (deliciously played by Jason Isaacs), he joins the militia with another son, Gabriel.

Their campaigns against the British, and against Col. Tavington, in particular, show the Americans' courage, determination, and pride in their cause. The grand-scale battle scenes are intertwined with intimate vignettes about the individuals in the militia: Gabriel falls in love and marries, Martin has romantic feelings for his sister-in-law, and his traumatised daughter speaks for the first time.

The final scenes are visually stunning, especially those where Martin runs through the battle waving the tattered American flag and urging his comrades to victory. Mel Gibson is wonderful as the honorable and loving father and soldier. Heath Ledger is the stuff teen-idols are made of, and an actor of depth. Jason Isaacs almost steals the show as the arrogant and brutal Col. Tavington. When he faces Martin, whose son he murdered, he sneers, "Did he die, hmmm?"

The Patriot is a rousing tale of our early history, with excellent actors, script, and soundtrack. You'll enjoy The Patriot.

Rating:
Summary: This film fuels anti-American racism
Review: I love war films, and I was expecting this one to be the American equivalent to "Braveheart". In all the wrong parts, it did...too much. Mel Gibson avoids conflict, loses loved one to enemy, engages enemy and slaughters entire platoon, joins and leads rebels, fights protracted guerilla war against enemy, dismounts bad guy from horse and kills him. Now, I don't mind if a historical flick alters history a bit in the name of Hollywood sensationalism...this is inevitable. But this film is too one sided, and goes above and beyond to portray British officers as either naive fools or bloodthirsty babykillers. I watched this film with two British friends, and I found myself cringing from shame throughout it's entirety.

Don't get me wrong, I'm as much of a patriotic American as one can get. But I also appreciate our history being portrayed accurately. I take pride in our history and in the war we fought for independence, but we didn't fight a British army full of al-Qaeda style terrorists. We fought our own countrymen who were just as human as we were.

As I feared, this film has sparked a tidal wave of one-star reviews which are used as venues to vent blatant racism towards Americans and American nationalism. I even read one person's review who used the film's inaccurate portrayal of slavery to state that American blacks only gained their independence in the 1960's! Uh, no...they gained their independence in 1865, after half a million white Americans died fighting our bloodiest war. Unfortunately, people instantly embrace such utter nonsense as quickly as they do the notion that any half-educated American regards "The Patriot" as an accurate historical account.

Of Mel Gibson, I don't know what he has against the Brits, but it's obvious from his latest string of films that he has something in the form of anti-Brit prejudice eating away at him.

For more accurate portrayals of American military history that do not leave room for racists to brand "flag waving" as an evil thing, check out "Glory", "Hamburger Hill", "Black Hawk Down", or "We Were Soldiers", all true stories to the smallest details.