The Patriot

Epic?

In another of his emotionally charged adventure films, Roland Emmerich directs and Mel Gibson stars as family man Benjamin Martin, who finds the peaceful world he lives in invaded by a war with the English. After one of his sons is murdered at the hands of a brutal English dragoon captain and the other is sentenced to death, he finally loses his rag and chases down and slaughters 20 English soldiers escorting his son to execution, attacking with rifles and a Cherokee Tomahawk, a remnant of his troubled past which reveals itself gradually throughout the movie. Earning the moniker "Ghost" he forms a militia group with a loan French commandant and fights the cause of the independants in a troubled time for the colonies of America. Gradually though as the truth about his past in the French / Indian conflict becomes clear you see a different side of Martin, whose brutality is equalled only by his love and devotion to family. Despite overwhelming odds and the unshakable resolve of one barbaric English captain, he protects them and leads the film towards its exciting finale. Throughout The Patriot, emotions run high and the viewer becomes very much endeared to the characters, whose lives are under constant threat. The historical accuracy is a step up from Gibson's last self-indulgent romp, Braveheart, but at times it's difficult for the film to drag itself out of the latter's shadow. The level of violence and bloodshedis certainly up there with Braveheart, and in terms of shock value The Patriot's credentials are never in doubt, but the story is obvious and at times rather weak.

Brave

As anyone who saw Braveheart will testify, the only way it seems that villains can be born in Gibson films is by wronging the man himself, and whenever one of our scoundrel's plans to usurp Gibson fails, there is always another house to burn with people inside it or another family member to threaten. See Lethal Weapon, Braveheart and others for potent examples - it's a vicious circle but it's also rather tired. Nonetheless The Patriot is definitely worth watching. At 165 minutes it's another quite lengthy story but I never felt bored by what was happening, although I did cringe occasionally as Martin's idealistic son Gabriel did something clichéd and heroic. Also, as with Braveheart there is a touch of sadness, but thanks to some occasionally brilliant direction from Emmerich, the balance is just about right to keep the audience happy, even if there are a few shed tears. One of the other things that becomes very clear after a while is that producer Dean Devlin knows his history. The tunics and outfits in general are rugged and worn, just as you would expect such a rebellion to be, and the beautiful representations of Georgetown and the Martin residence in Carolina are stunning.

Well cast

The acting in general is no less impressive, with some brilliant roles from Jason Isaacs, Joely Richardson and Gibson himself in particular. Heath Ledger seemed somewhat weak cast in the role of Gabriel, but he was believable enough, even if his character was born of impractical beliefs. Another good casting was Star Trek star Rene Auberjonois, who played the Reverend in the small town where the Martins seek help for their militia. His lines in particular were made all the more effective by his stern tone and deeply engraved facial expression. When questioned about his willingness to fight the cause, he coolly fires back that "a shepherd must tend his flock, and occasionally fight off the wolves." There are some great performances from lesser parts as well. One of Martin's militia, a grisly war veteran with similar family values to Martin himself, plays the part enthusiastically, and when things go horribly wrong, the picture of distress on his face was so natural that it affected me greatly. On the whole the direction, production and cast are of solid credentials and do a marvellous job.

Patriarchal

The disc itself contains a goldmine of features, including meaningful commentary from director Emmerich and producer Devlin, a small featurette on the visual effects (some of which are amazing), a slightly longer feature called "The Art of War" which focuses on the battlefield scenes, some Deleted Scenes with optional commentary as well as photo galleries, production notes, conceptual art and information on each of the actors. There's an awful lot here to see and do beyond the film itself, and if you enjoy the screenplay you will take a lot away from these 'superfluous' facets. All things considered The Patriot makes wonderful watching for the slightly older family, and although hardly as thought-provoking as something like American Beauty, definitely keeps the brain ticking over events. It may also teach you a thing or two about American history and the times leading directly up to their independence, although I wouldn't rely on it as study material! Unlike Braveheart it doesn't make it all up, it takes key events and actually builds a story around them, one that makes sense and keeps the heart racing.

Conclusion

The Patriot is another film from Mel Gibson that finds a popular part of history and 'exposes' it. It moves very fast and tells a powerful story, but at times the clichés are somewhat thick on the ground. Still, with a pleasant cast, good direction and impressive production it's one to watch on a cold Winter's evening with the fire roaring and a bucket of adrenaline. Film - 8/10 Disc - 8/10 Availability -

Play247.com - £17.99 + P&P

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