The Patriot (2000)

Mel and co engage again with the British with blood & guts

This film coming a few years later after "Braveheart" was one of the first films in which I saw the late Heath Ledger--and he was impressive to say the least. Mel Gibson plays a farmer who is an ex-guerilla fighter who is reluctant to take up arms against the British until a tragedy occurs in his family that forces him to take a stand. Critics of this film have liken this to a Mad Max film but his re-transformation back into the warrior mode is plausible. Of course, there are some dramatic licenses taken here since Gibson's character is a composite of many of the types of American heroes like Francis Marion aka "The Swamp Fox" and also depicted in Disney film years ago by I believe, Leslie Nielsen before he descended or risen into his famous comedy mode (The Naked Gun). The Blu-ray transfer of this extended version is excellent and a special mention should be made of the excellent acting of Jason Issacs as the villainous British officier who forces Gibson's hand in a pivotal moment. Also Tom Wilkinson as Cornwallis, Chris Cooper as a Federalist and Tcheky Karyo as a French compatriot are excellent too. Recommended for war buffs and action fans alike!! August 17, 2008

Worth a watch

I love the movie and have the DVD, but just wasn't motivated enough to watch it again. This is a chance when you change your stock to blue ray, you do want to watch them again and appreciate them more. After all the movie looks more stunning than ever. July 19, 2008

Formula plot, but well played and acted.

The plot of PATRIOT follows the formula of the reluctant warrior who is forced to fight by circumstances--see SHENANDOAH and others. True to the formula, once he enters the war, he is unstoppable. Even though it is strictly a formula plot, Mel Gibson and an excellent cast pull it off. Heath Ledger is excellent as the son who must fight despite his father's warning, and Jason Isaacs is wonderfully mean as the brutal British officer. June 15, 2008

What happened to historical accuracy?

Visually impressive but Gibson reprises his sensitive hero shtick. In the movie the British kill injured American troops, Gibson offers to free the slaves if they will fight for
the Revolution and the British burn civilians in a church. HOWEVER, in reality the only documented massacre of injured soldiers was BY the rebels OF loyalist troops, the British offered to free the slaves, a move received with outrage among the slave owning rebels (including Washington and Jefferson)and the burning of civilians in a church by British troops never took place (although the Germans did do this in France during the Second World War). June 5, 2008

Patriotic Americans

While the movie of course was a hollywood creation it was never the less pretty historically factual. It depicted accurately the horrors and hardships the Carolinians suffered in order to achieve America's independence. My great grandfather was one of them. May 31, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...