Film Snail

The Patriot
The Patriot

7.2

The Patriot

R·2000·165m

Summary

After proving himself on the field of battle in the French and Indian War, Benjamin Martin wants nothing more to do with such things, preferring the simple life of a farmer. But when his son Gabriel enlists in the army to defend their new nation, America, against the British, Benjamin reluctantly returns to his old life to protect his son.

Cast

Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson

Benjamin Martin

Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger

Gabriel Martin

Joely Richardson

Joely Richardson

Charlotte Selton

Jason Isaacs

Jason Isaacs

Col. William Tavington

Chris Cooper

Chris Cooper

Col. Harry Burwell

Tchéky Karyo

Tchéky Karyo

Jean Villeneuve

René Auberjonois

René Auberjonois

Reverend Oliver

Lisa Brenner

Lisa Brenner

Anne Howard

Tom Wilkinson

Tom Wilkinson

Gen. Cornwallis

Donal Logue

Donal Logue

Dan Scott

Leon Rippy

Leon Rippy

John Billings

Adam Baldwin

Adam Baldwin

Capt. Wilkins

Jay Arlen Jones

Jay Arlen Jones

Occam

Joey D. Vieira

Joey D. Vieira

Peter Howard

Gregory Smith

Gregory Smith

Thomas Martin

Mika Boorem

Mika Boorem

Margaret Martin

Skye McCole Bartusiak

Skye McCole Bartusiak

Susan Martin

Trevor Morgan

Trevor Morgan

Nathan Martin

Bryan Chafin

Bryan Chafin

Samuel Martin

Logan Lerman

Logan Lerman

William Martin

Mary Jo Deschanel

Mary Jo Deschanel

Mrs. Howard

Jamieson Price

Jamieson Price

Capt. Bordon

Peter Woodward

Peter Woodward

Charles O'Hara

Grahame Wood

Grahame Wood

Redcoat Lieutenant

Beatrice Bush

Abigale the Housekeeper

Shane Ayon

Grinadier Soldier

Shan Omar Huey

Shan Omar Huey

Joshua

Hank Stone

Hank Stone

Rollins

Kirk Fox

Kirk Fox

Skunk

Jack Moore

Curly

Mark Twogood

Danvers

Colt Romberger

Colt

Terry Layman

Gen. George Washington

Shannon Eubanks

Shannon Eubanks

Mrs. Simms

Bill Roberson

Bill Roberson

Loyalist Simms

Charles Black

Matthew

Andy Stahl

Andy Stahl

Gen. Nathanel Greene

Kristian Truelsen

Kristian Truelsen

Hardwick

Kanin Howell

Kanin Howell

Postrider

Mark Jeffrey Miller

Mark Jeffrey Miller

Wounded Continental

Zach Hanner

Zach Hanner

British Field Officer

Randell Haynes

Patriot Middleton

John Storey

John Storey

Cowpens Militiaman

Greg Good

Cowpens Militiaman

John F. Dzencelowcz II

Continental Soldier

Kyle Richard Engels

Billings' Son

John Bennes

John Bennes

Speaker

John Curran

John Curran

Redcoat Sergeant #1

Dara Coleman

Dara Coleman

Redcoat Sergeant #2

Roy McCrerey

Roy McCrerey

Redcoat

P. Dion Moore

Redcoat

Tyler Long

Page Poy

John H. Bush

Abner

Gil Johnson

Militiaman

Scott Thomas

Scott Thomas

Patriot Private

Derrick B. Young

Slave Boy

Le Roy Seabrook

Gullah Minister

Samuel Brown Jr.

Gullah Musician

Samuel Brown Sr.

Gullah Musician

Lillie L. Harris

Gullah Musician

Braima Moiwai

Gullah Musician

Patrick Tatopoulos

Patrick Tatopoulos

French Naval Officer

Crew

Director

Roland Emmerich

Screenplay

Robert Rodat

Reviews

John Chard

John Chard

February 25, 2020

6

Here's Mel to give the Brits an inaccurate historical thrashing, again...

The Patriot is based around one Benjamin Martin, an ex-soldier, who now happily living as a family man finds himself thrust into conflict at the break of the American Revolution.

He loves the Brits does Mel Gibson, "Gallipoli", "Braveheart" and here with "The Patriot", see the pattern anyone? As with the aforementioned "Gallipoli" and "Braveheart", certain liberties have also been taken with events in "The Patriot" so as to glossy up for the eager Hollywood contingent. It's not my want to scribble about the facts of Benjamin Martin (Re: Francis Marion), or William Wallace for that matter, information as such is but a mere click away on the world wide web.

So casting aside the artistic licence factors, is "The Patriot" any good? Well nearly it is -- nearly. Gibson is fine, he shoulders the burden of the film with great gusto and no shortage of emotional depth. It's very easy to accept him as a staunch family man who transforms into a blood thirsty warrior. The problems, acting wise, lay away from Gibbo's central performance. Surrounded by caricature villains (though Jason Isaacs' Tavington is deliciously vile) and underwritten characters (Chris Cooper wasted and Joely Richardson is but a mere prop), Gibson has no choice but to hog the screen. So much so it ultimately turns into a one man star vehicle, which for a costume war epic isn't a great thing really.

Roland Emmerich ("Independence Day" and "Godzilla") directs and handles the battle sequences very well, there's lashings of blood as men line up to shoot and dismember one and other. While cannonball's whizz, bang and tear off body parts, it's grim, yet oddly rousing stuff. Not even the overtly flag waving and sloganeering on show can off set the impact of the well constructed battles. There is of course lots of tragedy to be found in the film, and these are some what surprisingly, tenderly handled by Emmerich, but mostly it's via an on song Gibson, who remains one of the few modern day male actors capable of believable grief. All of this is given a John Williams score that suitably flits between rousing and ethereal, and things are further boosted by the sumptuous photography from Caleb Deschanel.

There should have been more thought given to the racial (slaves) aspects in the conflict, and this coupled with the bad errors of under developed characters hurts "The Patriot" as a filmic exercise, not so as to stop it being entertaining, but more to stop it being a one man show. But as it is, thanks in the main to Gibson, and in spite of the overtly evident faults, it's an above average drama. 6/10

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$110,000,000.00

Revenue:

$215,294,342.00

Keywords

epic
daughter
mission
general
southern usa
loss of loved one
rebel
patriotism
insurgence
gore
south carolina
based on true story
sword fight
historical fiction
soldier
patriot
18th century
american revolution
revolutionary war